lifte foete a fore by cause in launching shakyng or casting that wiche they hold wold cast out of hand the body shulde be more stedfast on the grounde the myght in casting gretter but as to come hand to hand for to repulse or shoue forth with sperys they taught hem to sette the right fote afore by cause that the streÌ„gthe of shouing is at the lifte syde of men And for to teche hem bettre in all thynges to fighte to sawte they were oftymes put in arraye of batailles by they re maistres by cause they shuld knowe by veray vse the conduyte and the ordre that ought to be kept in a bataille And all renged in fayre ordonaunce made hem to marche forwardis a quantite of paaces for to teche hem to kepe hem self clos togidre in gode ordenaunce without gooyng out or from the rowte of they re bataille And with light stauis at the first by cause they schuld not hurt eche othre made one partye to sawte that othre And to th ende that noo rancour ne anger myght not be norryshed among hem they that had the victorye were at another tyme putte for to fyght with theym that they so had ouercom ayenst othre After this they were putte in certain places to kepe theym that one place ayenst that other And as they re bodyly strengthe grew more and more they made hem for to take axes and swerdis and almaner of other wepens of werre and assayed forced them self to smyte ayenst certayn stakes that for the nones were dressed and there made grete appertyses of armes as hit had be ayenst they re enemy mortall and al this was by cause they shuld bere trauailles and be vsed in ablyng of them self And so assawted the stake al a bout glanching and tournyng here and there and in this manere of asawte toke in hem self strengthe and breth and the manere of fyghtyng and sawtyng they lerned And as they re strengthe age grewe so was gyuen to theym greter charge and more poysaunt and namely bygger armures and more heuy stauys than thoo that are vsed in a feld or bataille by cause that comyn stauis shuld seme to them easy and lyght at a nede They lerned theym also to stryke with a foyne whiche manere of foynyng was first brought in vse by the romains for they scorned them that smote edgelyng and sayd with peyne myght one slee another aftre that guyse by cause the bones that be harde with holdeth and kepeth the stroke But of a foyne is the wounde dedely yf the hed or the body entre the depnes of two yuches And for this reason also is the strok of a foyne bettre and surer by cause he that smyteth edgelyng in heuyng vp of bothe his armes sheweth him self naked and bare and discouered a long his right syde and this doeth not he that smyteth with a foyne but kepeth hym self clos as he striketh and may hurt his enemy er that other heue vp his armes for to smyte edgelyng And with all this they excited and taught hem for to bere somÌ„ heuy fardelis all armed as they were for to be the redyer to suffre trauaillis and peyne and to th ende yf nede were they myght bere wyth them they re owne vitaillis And for this lesson to conferme â— to this purpos sayth vegece that nothyng is greuous which of afore is lerned by long vse nor so heuy a fardell but that by custome of beryng shal seme easy and lyght And virgille in lyke wyse confermeth thesame vse ther as he saith that the valyaunt romayns bare of tymes with them they re necessaryes with the fardel of they re armures And beside al thys wer ther horses made of tymbre vpon whiche they lerned to lepe vp of bothe the sydis all armed from hed to tooe the spere in they re hand to clemme vp wyth cordes to the wallis lyghtly to make ladders hem self and ropes knotted for to clemme vp ward ther with all ¶ Yet of thesame ¶ Capio· xo· In all the forsaid vsages and in othre moo the nobles auÌ„cyeÌ„t introducted taught theyr children so that by long contynnaÌ„ce wyth the gode doctryne of suche honorable wordis as they dyde putte in to their corages that whan the veray fait of a bataylle cam they were not to seke in noo manere of point but as al lerned and right wyse made gret appertyses faitis of armes Suche doctrine was necessary in the tyme of the grete conquestis and yet expedyeÌ„t gode hit were in fraunce in all other landes where as somÌ„tyme of nede harnoys armures ben taken Saluste to this purpos sayth The knyght or men of armes is to be chosen that from the tyme of his youthe hath lerned the trauayllis of armes and the maners of bataille And that by vsage can the wyes of knyghthede And bettre it is saith he to a yong noble man to escuse hym self of that he hath not yet lerned than to make sorowe mourne in his old age of that he conde neuer nothyng wherfore thauncyent praysed so lytel the noble men that coude nothyng that they putte no dyfference betwene them the landishmen But moche they sette by the noble men that were wortly valyaunt as it is knowen by vegece that thus saith to the lawdyng and pâ—aysyng of them O men of grete and laudable merueilles that this noble art and doctryne of knyghthede haue so longue excersyced that of veray kynde hit abydeth styll wyth you Ye ought to be hyghly enhaunced as they thithout whych other men nor the lande can not be deffeÌ„ded ne lyue in pâ—ax It is thenne grete auauntage to a yonge man that is willyng to do wel Whan bothe tyme and place he hath and power to lerne the arte and scyence of armes whyche is not to be thought of litel importans nor with litel peyne goten to him saith he that in suche dyscipline is wel taught fere ne drede of fyghting is to him nothing ayenst who soeuer his enemy that it be but rathre is to hym as a ioye a delyt And with this addeth the auctours shewing in what lesson they of the peple were taught that is to wite in shotyng casting thith slynges whiche doeth grete ayde to theym that wel can skyl ther with was muche vsed by thauncieÌ„t tyme wherfor vegece in praysing of suche coÌ„nyng saith that how be it a slinge be of noo weyght it is profytable namely in sawtyng or fensyng of a forteresse a slynge is good couenable wherof they say that suche manere of shott was somÌ„tyme so gretly sett by that in somÌ„ Iles of grece the modres gaf no fode to they re children vnto tyme they had hitâ—e they re mete with that stroke of the slynge also lerned hem to shote with a loÌ„g bowe with a crosbowe bothe theire maistres lerned them to hold their bowe with the
lifte hand to drawe the corde with the right and with grete strengthe vnto there eerys that the herte the eyen they shud see that thing that they wold shote at that ententyfly shulde take theire marke with gode hede in this arte namely englishmen are lerned from theire yong age wherfor coÌ„tynuiÌ„gly they passe al othre archers vegece saith that this manere of arte wyl be continued and ofte excercised namely to the goode maistres that the hamâ—tyng continuauÌ„ce therof be nedefull cathon saith in his boke of armes that gode archers ben moche profytable in a bataille this testifieth claudius that saith that by the archers they that were taught in the manere of castyng of dartes ouercome Alexandres enemyes in dyuerse batailles with a lityl quaÌ„tite of his people this witenesseth also the noble warryer scipion of affrica also he taught hem to cast stones to bere sheldis the manere to couere with the same to caste speris the wayes to do al suche othre thiÌ„g as thauctours sayen dyuers propre maystres were that by the phizonomye of the yongmen by the body they knowe whiche were moost able and more propre to the discypline and teching of armes as were they of whom the eyen spirites were open moeuable that had a streyght hede a large brest grete sholders wel shapen armes long bygge wel made long haÌ„des of grete bones small bely the reynes wel formed bygge thyes leggis streyght wel shapen full of synewis drye brode fete streyght but as for the height of the body made noo force and aboue al other thyng toke hede to the vigour and courage and to the swiftnes of the body and to suche yongmen putte theyr mastres they re besy cure deligence to teche them the said arte connyng of armes and as they saw hem with they re ablenes of body of gode wyse vndrestaÌ„ding they had hem myche dere and taught shewed vnto them al thinges that behouen to the chief captayns of armes with al this they lerned hem for to swiÌ„me in ryuers or in see And saith vegece that this arte of swiÌ„myng is right couenable to almanere men of armes as somtyme it is nedefull to them whan strengthe chasseth them to passe ouer watres ryuers for to eschewe parell or for to shorte they re wayes or for som othre nede as may be for to com at a certeyn owre there as they wold be or for to take or comÌ„ by thees wayes vpon they re enemyes vnbeware and so dide dryue thauÌ„cyent they re bagage harneys fardels aftre theym by subtyl craft as vpon pecis of timbre vpon drye thornes cast in the watre which they ladd al swiÌ„myng aftre them And by this arte of swiÌ„myng may a man of armes eschew the parel of deth dyuers wayes as it is writon of iulius cesar that for to warauÌ„t his owne lyf sauf dide swiÌ„me in the see iij c passes also the right worthy preu baitailler cena the romain escaped al alone sore wounded from the grete multitude of his enemyes by his swiÌ„myiÌ„g ouer a gret ryuer and thurghe thees waye of swiÌ„miÌ„g were the peple of a castell that was besegid holpeÌ„ that vitailles by they re frendes that swiÌ„med ouer with all by nyght vnto them not knowyng they re enemys of the same and in especyal by this art thauÌ„ciens ledde theyr bestis horses and for to assoyle the rayson of them that myght say that suche thingis as aboue ben said are light to the sayeng but harde to the lernyng oure auctour saith that how be it al thinges seme dyfficyle to the dysciple or sooler er he can hem yf the maistre be tending diligent of teching ther is noon so harde a connyng but that hit wylbe light by long contynuacioÌ„ of hauntyng of the same And yet in contynuyng the manieres that the romayns kept suche an vse a monge othre they had that the noble men bare a garment vnlyke to them that were vnnoble and with this was theire robes of Ioye robes of sorowe whiche they wered aftre the fall of theire good eure or euyll fortune that is to wite yf they had lost eny grete bataille or that som lande were rebel vnto them or som grete Iniure doon ayenst hem that requyred veÌ„gence then they toke wered the robes of sorowe without othre garmeÌ„t vpon hem vnto tyme they cam to they re aboue were aueÌ„ged theÌ„ne they toke agayn they re robes of ioye ¶ Here deuysed the proprietes that men of armes ought to haue in whiche they ought to be taught ¶ Capio· xjo· WE haue deuysed al ynoughe the maners and introduccions of fayttes of armes that thauÌ„cyeÌ„t gaff to they re children the whiche for an ensaÌ„ple are gode to be kept in mynde and so behoueth vs to retourne to that that is said afore that is to wite in what thynges the gode wyse captayn or his lieutenauÌ„t shal aplie hym self first he shal as it is said afore drawe vnto him al the best moost chosen men of armes and shal cherysshe hem And syth it cometh to speke of gode men of armes vegece recounteth of the propryetees that behouen vnto theym and saith that with hardynes without whyche he may not be ought must be taught be maystre in helping of him self in his harneys to be in at his ease to th ende he may lightly assaylle his enemye and to be able to lepe lightly ouer a dyche and to clymme yf nede be vpon that that may lette him to entree the lodgis of the aduersaryes ouer hedgis ouer tentê yf he seeth his tyme to bowe asyde forto voyde the strokis by delyuernes of body and to enuahisshe leping vpon his enemyes yf the manere of the bataylle requyreth And saith that suche maner of appertyses abasshen the courages of the aduersaryes putte hem in a fere and so hath thaduantage ouer hem And thus it hath be full often that one hath had the bettre vpon a stronger man thanÌ„ hym self and sooner wounded hym that nought was appareilled for to deffende hym self And of suche touches sayth he vsed the grete pompee whan he faught And yf ye demaunded of me where shal the best men of armes be taken I say for an ansuere what so euer it is said that the men that be in the hote countrees nyghe the sonne how wyse that they be subtil malicioê° are not moche hardy by cause thay haue not foyson of blode for cause of the grete hete that there haboundeth also to the contrary they saye that they of that cold couÌ„trees are hardy not wyse thus cosequently none of bothe ought not be taken but they of that lande whiche is betwix bothe teÌ„perate ought to be taken but as to me I hold that in this none othre rewle ought to be kept but for to chese tho o
gode ayer and of gode compas yf he may And after vegece in a place where pastures water and wode be and that the feldys be not disposyd to kepe rayne watre long vpon the erthe nor where as to the enemyes myght fall grete russhyng habondance of watres by brekyng of somÌ„ pondes and stangs or somÌ„ scluses And it is to wite that after the quantite of folke and the plente of charyotis cartis baggage and fardellages must be taken the spaces of the lodgys in suche manere that a grete multytude be not to narow sett nor also more a brode than it nedeth for to be For of lesse strengthe they shold be thereby and ought the cartisand caryage to be sette rounde a bout Ioynyng to gyder and more fayre is the lodgys holden when the place is taken more in lengthe by the thirde parte than it is in the brede And in the myddis ought the place to be fortyffyed moost of all As a strong hold made wyth tymbre yf men may and that nede be Of whyche the yate shal be euyn ayenst the fronte of the enemyes And other yatis must there be by whiche the vytaylles shall comÌ„ in And vegece sayth that many baners ought to be sette ther vp on high and yf the chyef captayne thynketh to kepe his oost long there he shal doo fortifye the place with dyches palis rounde a bout and wyth closurâ— made of tymbre as it were a castell wherin shal be 〈◊〉 the garnysons to the vytayllyng of whiche ought to be 〈◊〉 for byfore al other werke ryght wysely and wel 〈◊〉 as vegece saith more gryeuous is honger than wepe◠〈◊〉 many thyngis may be borne and suffred in an ost but â—â—â—cessyte and lacke of mete in a feld hath noo suffraunce 〈◊〉 remedye without vitaylle com thyther how be it â—e saith 〈◊〉 al thing is couenable to an oost that a man concence 〈◊〉 self with a lityl mete And therfore the wise captayn ought so to purueye that vitailles faille not or euer the siege whyche oftymes lasteth lenger than men wene of be reysed or go fro For whan thaduersary feleth the ost nedy of vitaillis so moche more sharp fers he is ayenst hem as 〈◊〉 thinke lightly to take hem for this cause it happeth yâ— folke of an oost force them self so moche to take vitaille one fro that other in especyall folke that kepe a siege bifore a fortresse doo soo wherfore gode hede wold be taken that the dyspensatours vitaillers of the oost be not theuys hemself robbe not the oost as they by crafty wiles may doo for by suche away hath many an oost suffred emonge grete honger moche mysease grete parell wherfore it is gode wysely doon to loke therto ¶ Yet of the same ¶ Capio· xiiijo· With all the thinges a boue said the gode captayne that wyl mayntenÌ„ kepe his werre iustly ayenst god and truly towardis the world ought to endeuoire himself to see his soudyours be payed so wel that they nede not to lyue of noo pillage vpon the contrees of theym that ben they re freÌ„dis and by this manere of waye the oost shal haue noo deffaulte For why all manere goodis vitailles from euery parte shal come thyder so that marchauÌ„ts may surely come that he make an ordynaunce vpon peyne of deth that noo thing be taken but it be payed for nor nought mysdoo to the marchauÌ„t whiche now wolde god that it were doon so euery where grete gode it were and I bileue that al thingis shold therfore come to the better ende grete perill is in fayt of werre in an oost whan couetyse of pillage ledeth to hit men of armes more rather than doeth the good entent that they shulde haue to kepe the right of they re partye or the honour of knyghthode or for to gete preysyng gode fame And suche folke ought bettre to be called theuis robbers than men of armes or cheualrous and this shewed wel the frenshmen that tyme they ouercome the romayns there grete oost in bataylle vpon the ryuere of the rosne and grete proyes gate vpon hem but in token that they setted nought by the same and that they re entent was not sett ther vpon they toke all the proyes as pylfreys and riche harnoys gold siluer and plate cast all to gyder in the said ryuere the whiche thing so don putte the romains whiche suche another dede had neuer knowen in grete fere drede The wise captayne theÌ„ne wel purueyed of tho thingis that ben said a boue shal not trust onely vpon that that his fourragers shall bringe by cause oftymes they fynde nought to take but he shal be purueied bifore his partyng not onely of al his garnyson but also of al vitaillis that vpon cartis he shal doo carye wyth hym as is corne and mele wynes flessh benes salt and vinaygre refressheth to drynke it with moche watre in the somer whan wyn failleth and al other thingis couenable that wysely he shal doo to be dispensed Yet saith the boke of armes that yf the oost shuld tary long in a place and that a grete puissance of enemyes wayteth to come thether the place ought to be fortyffyed rounde a bout with gode dyches of xij fote depe and xv fote brode and as streyght as they can be made at that syde of the enemyes wyth stakes 〈◊〉 other thyngis to lette them that wold descende for tenâ—re but and so be sayth he that the oost shuld not abyde longâ—â— that he awayteth but for a fewe folke it is noo nede of so grete fortyffyeng but suffysseth yf men wyl dygge that the dyches be made of viij or ix fote of depnes and of brede vij fote And ought the gode capytayne to commytte good men of armes wyth gonners and men of shot for to kepe and wayte vpon the laborers and werkmen whiche suche fortyfycacyons are in dooyng And for to brynge a bout all suche thingis the wyse captayne shal be right wel purueyed of al Instrumentis couenables as shouillis wyth yron at for ende ratellis pycosis sawis axes nayles wymbrekyns and of al other ferrementis for to make lodgys or for to pydche and dresse vp tentes pauyllons and of suche werkmen that can gode skyle of the same Not wythstandyng vegece sayth that folke of oostis ought al to be maystres hemself of kuttyng of wodis and of fellyng doun of grete trees of makyng of wayes thrughe hedgis and busshys of byldyng of lodgis of makyng of cloysours of tymber in sawyng of bordis and of makyng of brydgis yf nede be of fyllyng of dyches wyth fagotis and bondellis of rede for to fynde passage of makyng of ladders of al suche thyngis And after the said Auctour the auncyent conquerours caryed wyth hem in they re oostis forges redy made where were forged and made salatis and helmetys curacys al
to other and so lyghtly they slewe them all And by this manere of wyle many cytees townes haue be taken Thus was the grete cyte of troye distroyed semblably shulde the cite of rome haue be dystroyed that tyme that haniball of cartage was at sege byfore had not be the crye of the ghoos that by aduenture awaked the watche bicause that suche thinges are comoÌ„ly att all owres And lytell houses ought to be made vpon the walles for to kepe the watchemen from colde in wynter and fro the Sonne in the somer And in olde tyme was an vsage to norrysshe grete mastyuys sore bytynge dogges in the said lytel houses and wythin the towres to th ende that by them shulde be knowen by they re smellyng the comynge of they re enemyes Wyth thees maners and wayes of deffences techeth vegece to them that be beseged and closed to be curyouse and dylygent for to wite knowe by spyes and other meanes the couyne of they re enemyes Nor nothynge is more helpynge For by thys they may the bettre appoynte they re dooynges Wherby yf they be of a gode corage and that they may knowe that they re aduersaryes be not vpon they re warde or that they be at they re refeccyon takyng or sportyng here and there nor haue noo suspecyon that they of within com out to be fyght hem thenne shal they sodaynly attones renne without the towne vpon hem Ane namely yf they canÌ„ yssue out of som fause dore or posterne at the bak syde it is the bettre and they muste kepe wel that they re couyne and entreprise be not accused nor knowen wherby som busshement myght be sett for them by they re aduersaryes that shulde slee hem as they sholde com oute But yf they can surpryse them by the forsaid manere of waye and that a hardy corage lede hem they shall mowe make hem self quit at that tyme of them to thys purpos of a hardy corage of cytezeyns makynge deffence for they re cyte hit was seen full merueyllouse within the hertes of them of the cytee of munyence in hyspayne that tyme that the romains by dyuers bataylles had brought hem so lowe that they durste make nomore noon yssue out of they re stronge cytee Neuerthelesse they delybered emong hem that they shulde rather dâ—ie all than to lyue as boÌ„dmen but first they wolde selle hem self fall dere fightyng with they re ennemyes ¶ And therfore of suche a quantyte of corne as they had dide brewe a drynke myxte withsuche manere of gere the astre they had taken hyt they were all dronken So yssued they oute theÌ„ne and so grete fayttes of armes they made that or euere they coude be all dystroyed they had slayne almost al they re enmyes And yf that ony party had be equall in quantite to that othre party not one Romayn shulde haue be lefte there alyue But to the fyrst purpos sayth vegece And yf it hap to fall so that thys enterpryse be not fortunable for them and that they be Robustly rechassed they muste byfore haue ordeyned that the yate be redely open for them And yf the enmyes be so hardy that they come tyl vpon the brygge or namely wythin the gate folowyng the chasse they muste be soone shet and closed wythinne and that vpon the wallees be stones ynoughe and gode shot for to coÌ„ueie them thâ—ns â— al manere of engyns so that they all nor noo grete â—eeâ—e retourne not a lyue so shal not the getyng be al togyder foâ— them But yet it is a grete parell for to fyght vpon a brigge Exsample by a kynge of Gallya called Brenyus which wyth hys grete oste that he led ayenst the rommayns he onercharged so sore the brygge that he had doo make of tymber vpon the ryuere of the rosne that hit brak and therfore were hys men peryssed there ¶ Item and yf it happe that by a manere of patysse or by som accorde or treatee shulde be bespoken for to haue or delyuere afortresse men muste soueraynly be aduysed and wyly that the vntrouthe and trychery of som euyl and malycyouse folke may not deceyue the innocencye of the symple For it hath be seen many tymes that euyl couenaunces and peas by fyctyon made vndre coloure of gode concordaunce haue letted moche more than hath doon strengthe of armes ¶ Of bataylles that be made vpon the see Capio· xxxviij FOlowynge the thynges be fore said he toucheth shortly ynoughe atte the ende of hys boke of som couenable weyes longynge to bataylles that be made vpon the see or vpon flodes and ryuers And fyrst he speketh of the facion and makynge of the shyppes and galeyes sayinge that nother in marche nor in aperyll the trees that thenne haue habondaunce of humore ought not to be felde a doune for to make eny shyppes with all but muste be cutte thrawen doune in Iully and in the moneth of Auguste whan the humidytee of the trees begynneth for to drye vp and that namely the bordes that therof be sawen made therof ought not to be occupyed tyl that the weet be cleen goon fro them and that they may shrynke nomore With this he saythe that for to naylle the bordes of shyppes the naylles made of bras are best how wel that naylles of yron be stronger but by cause that the bras hath more of moistenes within him self it kepeth bettre more long in watre without rotynge ¶ Item he saith that they that by the see wol goo be it in armee or to som other adoo ought syngulerly to purueye of gode maryners expert and gode maistres that be able to that office and that can well skyl of the wyndes and whiche thynge may lette hem and whiche not from the parelles of the see and that knowe the wayes and the straytes and al so the manere of comyng out and of al manere hauenys passages and that can goode skyle of the lyght marynall that is to say the sygnes and sterres of heuen wherunto the gode maryners taken they re regarde and dresseth them to they re ryght waye And also in al other tokens wyhche shewen fortune of the see to come shortly whiche tokens appyeren aswell by the sonne as by the moue by the wyndes and by the byrdes and namely by the fysshe of the see And that they be all mastres of rewlyng of they re saylles of drawyng of ropys and kables whan tyme is and aswell of castynge as takyng vp of theire ancres whan nede requyreth as whan they fynde hem self in bataylle vpon the see and in other aduentures ¶ Item the purueaunces duely made as it apparteyneth for to arraye a caruell ryght wel for the werre or suche veselles as men haue they muste be wel furnysshed with gode men of armes and of shot and he sayth that thoo that goo for to fight vpon the see apparteyneth to be bettre more strongly armed than thoo that fyght
where the man of armes putteth him self whan he goeth to the werre that Iniuste ys and of makynge in the werre other wise than werre requyreth C vij ¶ Item speketh of the popys ryght and the payment of the souldyours wages C viij ¶ Item wether a taptayne of a certeyne nombre of men of armes may transmute them atte hys wylle syn that they be reteyned in wages C ix ¶ It yf a lorde sende a man of armes in garnison to som fortres of his owne without that eny wages be promysed hym that hit happeth hym to be robbed and dyspoylled by the waye to whyche of bothe may he demaunde hys interesses and the recouere of his losse or to the lorde that so sent hym thidre or to hym that so hath robbed hym And yf a man of armes be com to serue a lorde in hys werre wythout couenaunt of wages Whether the lorde be holden forto paye hym or not C x ¶ Item yf a kynge had sent socours to another kynge without he had requyred hym so to doo whether he were holde for to paye them or not C xj ¶ Item yf a kynge hath werre with another kynge is willyng to renne vpon hym with a grete oost Is nowe to wite whether the lordes thrughe whos lordshippes he and his ost must passe may by ryght chalenge the passage how wel y◠so were that noo harme were by hym nor hys doon there that noo vitaille they toke but that they paied wel for C xij ¶ Item and yf a man of armes borowe bothe horse and harneys and leseth hit now is to wite whethre he shulde paye for hit or not C xiij ¶ It yf a man that had be sore wounded of another the whiche after the stroke were fledde awaye and that the other so hurt recouered helthe cam and hurted that other man Whether iustyce shulde punysshe hym therfore C xiiijo· ¶ Item whether cawtelles and subtylytees of werre are Iuste and of reason to be doo C xvo· ¶ Item yf a man of armes whiche is aaged were distressed and robbed by the waye somwhere whether he myght of ryght aske of the lorde that had sent hym forth his losse domages C xvj ¶ It yf a lorde doo sende socours of men of werre to som other lorde without he be so required of hym so to doo whether he to whome they ben thus sent is boūde for to paye them or not C xvij ¶ Item whether it is licyte to men of werre for to take eny vitaylles of the poure or ryche man vpon the lande whan they be wel payed of they re wages C xviij ¶ Item demandeth what men ought to doo with suche dispoylles and proyes that ben goten by waye of werre C xix ¶ Item begynneth to speke of prisoners of werre and aduyseth how a myghty man taken in werre ought to be presented to the prynce and how not C xx ¶ Item whether men ought to doo deye the chief captayne of an oost or som other grete man of armes whiche is taken in the werre or ellis to be delyuered to the prynce C xxj ¶ Item whether it is ryght that men shall take vpon the enemyes grounde the symple labourers and plough men that medle not of the werre C xxij ¶ Item yf a studyaūt englyssheman were fonde atte scoles in parys or ellis another lyke of another nacyon whether he myght be taken and putte to raenson C xxiij ¶ It yf som grete lorde of England or of som other contrey where werre is whiche as madde and out of wit were fledde in to the forest whether men myght after ryght taken him putte him to raēson he so being out of his wit c xxiiij ¶ Item and yf it happed that vpon the froūters be taken som olde man burgeys of london or of som other cytee of england that neuere dyde medle of the werre Whether suche a man ought for to paye raenson or not by ryght of the lawe and semblably of a yonge chylde and also of a blynde man ¶ Item yf it happed so that som ambaxadours cam to wardys the kynge of Fraunce and that they comynge thrughe Bordeewx had hyred there of englyshemen horses or cartes whether suche thynges myght be in Fraunce arrested or not And whether an englysh preeste beyng in in Fraunce myght be putte to raenson or not C xxvj ¶ Item whether a prysoner of werre whiche is al wayes kept clos yf he can goo out brekyng vp hys pryson shall renne in eny deffaulte so to doo C xxvij ¶ Item whether a gentyl man prysoner of werre ought rather to dey than to breke hys othe his promesse c xxviij ¶ Here after begynneth the thirde parte of thys boke whyche speketh of the ryghtys of armes after the lawe wryton ¶ The fyrst chapytre deuyseth by what meane Crystyne added to thys boke that whiche is sayd in the lawe of the fayttes of armes As I dyde awayte for to entre in to the thirde partye of this present boke that my wyt as almost wery of the pesaūt weyght of the labour concernyng the two other partyes precedent as surprysed with slepe lyenge vpon my bed appiered byfore me the semblaūce of a creature hauyng the fourme of a stately man of habyte of chere of maynten lyke to awyse ryght auctorised iuge which said vnto me thus dere loue crystine of whiche in dede or ellis in thoughte the laboure of the excercyse of studienge neuer more doeth ceasse atte the contēplacyon of the grete loue that thou haste to thoo thynges that the lettres can shewe specyally in exhortacyon of all noble werkes and vertuouse condycyons am hyther now come for to be as to thy helpe in the perfourmynge of this present loke of knyghthode of fayttes of armes where as thou by grete dyligence moeued with agood wille doest occupy thy self And therfore confortinge the good desyre that thou haste to gyue a cause vnto all knyghtes and noble men that shal mowe rede or here hit for to employe and more embellysshe hem self to thoos dedes that noblenesse requyreth that is to wite to the sayd excercyse of armes aswell by laboure of the hody as by the ryght that after the lawe wryton behoveth them ¶ It is good that thou take and gadre of the tree of bataylles that is in my gardyn somme fruytes of whiche thou shalt vse So shall vygoure and strengthe the bettre growe wythyn thy self therfore for to make an ende of thy pesaunte werke and for to bylde an edyfyce pertynaūt couenable to the sayenges of vegece of the other auctours of whyche thou hast taken help thou muste cutte yet asonder som of the braūches of this said tree take of the best and vpon the same tymber thou shalt sette foundement of one of thy said edyfyce For the whiche to perfourme I as maister and thy self as dysciple shal be there with the as thy helper Thees thynges herde me semed thenne that
out of vsage to wymen whiche comynly do not entremete but to spynne on the distaf ocupie theim in thynges of houshold I supplye humbly to the said right hie offyce and noble state of chyualrye that in contemplacion of theyr lady mynerue born of the contre of grece whome the auÌ„cyents for hir grete connyng reputeden a goddesse the whiche foÌ„de lyke as olde wrytyngis sayeÌ„ and as I haue other tymes sayd And also the poete boece recyteth in his boke of clere noble wiÌ„men and semblably recyten many other the arte manere to make harnoys of yron steel whiche wyl not haue netake it for none euyl yf I a woman charge my self to treate of so lyke a matere but wyl ensewe theÌ„seignemeÌ„t techyng of seneke whiche saith retche the not what they saye soo that the wordes be good And therfore to purpos in manere poetyke it plaiseth me tadresse suche a prayer to the foresayd lady O mynerue goddesse of armes of chyualrye whiche by vertue of hye enteÌ„demeÌ„t aboue alle other wymeÌ„ foÌ„dest institutest emoÌ„ge thother noble artes scieÌ„ces whiche of the toke their begynnyng thusage to forge of yroÌ„ steel armours harnois ê“pice couenable to couure targe the body of man agaynst the strokes of dartes noyous shotte speres in bataylle fayttes of armes helmes sheldes targes other harnoys defeÌ„sable fro the first comen institutest gauest manere ordre to areÌ„ge batailles tassaille fight in manere Adoured lady hie goddesse be thou not displeased that I symple lytyl womaÌ„ lyke as nothyng vnto the gretenes of thy renoÌ„mee in cuÌ„nyng dare presently compryse to speke of so magnyfike an offyce as is thoffice of armes Of whiche fyrst iÌ„ the said renomed contree of grece thou gauest thusage And in so moche it may plaise the to be to me fauorable that I may be somwhat consonauÌ„t in the nacyoÌ„ where thou was born whiche as theÌ„ne was named the grete grece the contree beyoÌ„de yâ— alpes or moÌ„taygnes whiche now is sayd puylle calabre in ytalye where thou were born I am as thou were a womaÌ„ ytalien ¶ Here sheweth how warres batailles emprised by Iuste quarelle moened in their right droit is thyng of Iustice suffred of god ¶ Capitulo ijo· Chaton the vayllauÌ„t coÌ„batauÌ„t or fyghtar by whos force and streÌ„gthe of armes the romayns had many fayr vyctoryes whiche neuer in bataill was dyscoÌ„fyted sayth that it ought more to haue proffyted to the comyn wele the wrytyng of rules techyngs and dyscyplyne of armes whiche he had coÌ„posed made in a boke than in ony thynge that he euer had dooÌ„ wyth his body for he saith alle that euer that a man may doo endureth not but one age But that whiche is wreton endureth to the comyn prouffit euermore by which Innumerable men may the more auaylle so is it thenne by this reason proued that it is not a thynge of lytyl prouffyt for to wryte make bookes But to th ende that this preseÌ„t whrke by somÌ„ enuyous myght be reproched sayeng that it is but ydlenes losse of tyme as to treate of thynges not lawfull first it is to wyte yf warres bataylles chyualrye faytes of armes of whiche thynge we hope to speke it is or not o thynge iuste for as in excersysing of armes ben doon many grete euyllis extorcyons grieues lyke as occisioÌ„s rauayne by forces to breÌ„ne by fyre infenyte harmes may seme to somÌ„e that warres bataylles shold be acursed thyng not due And therfore to ansuere to this questioÌ„ it is to wete that it appiereth manyfestly that warres eÌ„prysed by iuste cause be permysed suffred of god lyke as we haue founden in the holy scrypture in many places how our lord him self ordeyned to captaynes of hostes that whiche they shold doo ayenst theyr enemyes lyke as it is wreton of one that was called IhÌ„us to whom he saide that he shold ordeyne him to bataylle ayenst his enemyes made an enbusshe for the better to vaynquisshe theym And of other ynowe semblably is recyted And also the holy escripture saith of god that he is fiers gouernour of hoostis bataylles And warre bataill whiche is made by iuste quarell is none other thing but right execucoÌ„n of iustyce for to gyue the right there as it apperteyneth and to this accordeth the lawe deuyne seÌ„blably the lawes ordeyned of men for to represse the arrogaunts malefactours as touchyng the harmes euyllis that ben doon aboue the right droyt of warre lyke as other auctours sayen that cometh nothyng of the right of warre but by euylnes of the peple that vsen it euyl lyke as I hope by the aide of god to touche here after where as it shal falle where as I shal speke of thynges lymyted after the lawes and droit canon in the excersyte of armes ¶ Here it deuyseth how it is not leefful but to kynges souerayn prynces to empryse warre or bataylles of their siÌ„guler auctorite agaynst ony what someuer they be ¶ Cao· iij Now haue we in this first chapytre touched shortly how warres batailles by good right eÌ„prysed is a thyng iuste theÌ„ne is it to be take hede syth they be of right it apperteyneth to euery man to doo iuste rightful werke yf it be leeful to ony persone to empryse warre for to kepe his right theÌ„ne it shold seme by this reson that without to mesprise euery man may so doo it But for to declare the trouthe to theym that in this poynt myght erre it is to wyte that wythoute to make ony doubte after the determynacoÌ„n of right of the lawes it apperteyneth to none to eÌ„pryse warre or bataylle for ony maner cause but yf it be to prynces souerayn lyke as emperous kynges dukes other lordes terryens whiche ben merely pincypall heedes of Iuredictions temporall ne to a baron what someuer he be ne to ony other be he neuer so grete withoute lyceÌ„ce coÌ„gie volente of hys souerayn lord and that this lawe is of right manyfeste reason sheweth it ynowh for yf it shold be other wyse werof theÌ„ne shold serue prynces souerayne whiche for none other thyng were establysshed but for to doo right to euerych of their subgettis that shold be oppressid for ony extorcioÌ„ for to deffeÌ„de kepe them lyke as the good sheppard exposeth his lyf for his sheep therfor oweth the subgette to resorte to the lorde as to his refuge whan ony grief is doon to hym the good lord shal take his armes for hym yf it be nede that is to saye he shal helpe with his power to kepe his good right be it by waye of Iustyce or by execucyon of Armes ¶ Here is deuysed what ben the mouemens wherrof fyrst sourden warres and bataylles ¶ Capitulo iiijo· TheÌ„ne apperteyneth it onely vnto souerayn
prynces teÌ„treprise warres bataylles now is it for be taken hede for what causes after the lawe ought to be eÌ„prised or mayntened warres in this wel aduysed me semeth that comynly fyue pryncypal moeuyngis ther be vpon whiche they be founded of whome the thre ben of the lawe droyt the other of wyll The first of the lawe wherfor ought to be enprysed or mayntened warre is for to susteyne right iustice Te seconde for to withstoude the euyl that wold defowle grieue oppresse the londe the contree the people and the thirde for to recoure londes seignoryes or other thynges by other taken vsurped by iniuste cause whyche to the prince or to the iurisdicoÌ„n of the coÌ„tree or of the subgettes ought to apperteyne Item of the two of wylle that one is for cause of veÌ„geaÌ„ce for somÌ„e grief receyued of other that other for to conquere gete londes estrauÌ„ge seignouries But for more particulerly to declare first by especyal the first of the thre whiche is of iustice it ought to be knowen that ther ben thre pryncypal causes by the whiche it is leefful to a kynge or a prynce to entrepryse or susteyne armes warre or bataylles The first is for to bere susteyne the chirche his patrimony ayenst all men that wold defoule it as all crysten prynces ben holden The seconde for his vassale yf he be requyred in caas that he haue iuste quarell that the sayd prynce haue to fore dewly endeuoyrd hym to make accorde bytwene the parties in the whiche thyng thaduersarye be founde not treatable the thirde is that the prynce may iustly yf it please hym to ayde helpe euery prynce baron or other hys alye or frende or ony contre or londe yf he be requyred in caas that the quarell be iuste in this poynt be coÌ„prised wiÌ„men wydowes orphans alle them that may haue necessite of what parte that they be wronged of ony others power for this cause seÌ„blably for the other tweyne a fore said moeuyngs that is to wite that one to withstonde the euyl And that other for to recouure his propre thynges loste is not onely leefful to a prynce to moeue warre or to maintene it but it is to hym pure dette to make it by oblygacoÌ„n of tytle of seignourie iuredicoÌ„n yf he wyll vse it after rightful duete but as touchyng the other ij pointes that is to wyte that ne for vengeaÌ„ce of somÌ„e grief receyued by power myght of another that other for to gete strauÌ„ge londes wythout to haue ony tytle what someuer the conquerours alexandre the romayns other be moche preysed in the tytles of chyualrye semblably they that gretly be vengid on their enemyes be it wel or euyl what comynly therinÌ„ is doon I fynde not in lawe deuyne ne other scripture that for thyse two causes without other moeuyng is lawful to empryse vpon cristen men warre or bataylle but wel the contrarye for by the lawe of god it apperteyneth not to a man onely to take ne vsurpe nothyng of others nor in no wise to coueite it semblably ben reserued to god the vengeances nothyng apperteyne to man to doo them but for more playnly to declare vpon this part ansuere to the questions that may be moeued Trouthe it is that it is leeful to a prynce to kepe to hym self the same right that he shold doo to another for as moche as a iuste prynce shal doo felyng hym self wrongyd by an others myght power ought he theÌ„ne for to obeye to goddes lawe to deporte forbere without doyng more therto forsoâ—â— nay for that deffendeth iustyce but the faytte requyreth of 〈◊〉 trespaas pugnycoÌ„n for that werke iustely he shal holde this waye he shall asseÌ„ble grete counseyl of wysemen in his parliameÌ„t or in the counseil of his souerayn yf he be subgetâ—e â—e shal not onely asseÌ„ble them of his contree to th ende that oute be put all suspecoÌ„n of fauour but also of strange contrees that may be knowen not adherent to neyther partye as wel auncyeÌ„t nobles as iuristes other prsent them self shal purpose or doo be purposed all the trouth without ony fauour for god may not be deceyued all suche right suche wronge that he may haue in concludyng shal saye that of all he wyll reporte hym holde to the determynacoÌ„n of ryght shortly for to saie by this manere this thynge put in right wel seen discuted so by suche waye that it appere by true iugement that he hath iuste cause TheÌ„ne he shal doo somÌ„one his aduersarye for to haue of hym restytucoÌ„n ameÌ„des ofthyniures wronges by hym receyued TheÌ„ne yf it happene that the said aduersarye delyuer deffences wyll gaynsaye it that he be entierly herd without fauour to hym self in ony wise ne propre wyll ne haynoê° courage These thynges that whiche apperteyneth duely made in caas that the said aduersarie be fouÌ„de refusyng to come to right lawe the prynce may Iustely surely entrepryse warre the whiche ought not be called veÌ„geaunce but pure execucion of rightful Iustyce ¶ Here ben deuysed the consideracions regardes that the kynge or prynce ought to haue in the fayte to entrepryse warre and the maners that he ought to holde to fore he conclude the said warre ¶ Capitulo quinto Syth it is soo that it is leefful to a prynce tentrepryse warre bataylles and theym mayntene for the causes aboue said And how be it that these thynges be grete poysaunt as they that touche pryncypally the lyf the blood thonnour and chyuauÌ„ce of infenyte persones wythout whiche regard all byfore the werke ought not to be emprysed ne for light moeuynges ne yong willes but that it ought to be redoubted tempryse newe warres but for to modere hym self we haue ensamples ynowe O remeÌ„bre that the puissaunce of auffryke ne thorguilloê° cyte of cartage whiche was chief heed and the spaynards ne the right puissauÌ„t kyng anthyochus lord of a grete parte of the orient whiche brought so moche people to bataylle that it was infenite wyth theyr dredeful olyphauÌ„tes ne also the right myghty prynce kynge metridates whiche lorded vpon .xxiiij. contrees and also all the world but that the right lytil puissauÌ„ce of romayns myght wel subdue them therfore ought no prynce lightly to put hym self in peryll whiche is for to be determyned by the destribucoÌ„n of fortune of whyche noman may knowe to what syde it shal tourne TheÌ„ne it is necessarye that the prynce be wyse or at the lest wylle vse the couÌ„seyl of wyse men for plato saith that the royame or contre is blyssed wel happy where the wyse men gouuerne and the thopposite or contrayre it is acursyd vnhappy lyke as witnesseth the holy scripture And without faylle ther is nothyng so moche necessarie to be coÌ„ueyed by wisedom
as is warre bataille lyke as it shal be said her after for ther is no faulte made in ony caas lasse repayrable than that whiche is executed by armes by euyl gouernyng of bataille what shal theÌ„ne doo the wise prynce to whome shal be of necessite for somÌ„e of the caas aforesayd tempryse warre or bataylle first to fore all thyng â—e must be holde take hede what puissauÌ„ce or power he hath or may haue as moche people as of synauÌ„ce money without the whiche the two pryncypal thynges to be wel garnysshid surely it is folye tentrepryse ony warre for aboue alle thynges they ben necessarie in especial moneye for who that hath money ynowh wylle enploye it he shal alleway fynde ayde helpe of men ynowh more than he wolde wytnesse of the warres of ytalic in especyal of florence of venyse other places yâ— whiche comynly fyght more with theyr money than they of the contree And therfore wythoute payne and vnnethe may they be vaynquysshed And it shold more auayâ—le and be moche better to a prynce yf he fele hym not wel garnysshed of tresour or of ryche subgettes full of good wyll to ayde hym to make somme trayttye with his enemyes yf he fele hym self assaylled Or for to deporte and forbere tempryse warre Rather than to begynne yf to mayntene it he hath not wherof For be he all certayn that yf he entrepryseth in hope to take more of his subgettis than they may bere ayenst theyr wyll it shal encreace the nombre of his enemyes so sholde it be to hym lytil prouffyt for to destroye the strange ferre enemyes for to gete pryuee nygh enemyes for it is to wite that the prince capitayn ought not despyse noo puyssauÌ„ce of enemyes though it seme to hym but lytil for he may not knowe what fortune the other shal haue for hym self as it is wreton how that ther was a shepherd named vriacus to whom fortune was so propice that she helde him in puissauÌ„ce with grete foyson of theues pillyardes whiche he had assembled for to make warre to rome whiche was so myghty by the space of xxiiij yere that he dyde moche grief to theym And ofte tymes vaynquyssed in bataille the romayns myght neuer destroye hym but fynysshed his lyf by one of his owen men whiche slewe hym and therfor to th ende that he be not deceyued he shal asseÌ„ble to counsâ—il the foure estates of his contree whiche ought to be called or he emprise so chargeable a thyng that is to wite thauÌ„cyen nobles experte in armes whiche knowe what the fayt of warre mounteth Item the clerkes legystes by cause that iÌ„ the lawes ben declared alle the caasis of whom ought to sourde iuste warre as many ensamples we haue to this purpoos Item the bourgeises by cause it is of necessite and by cause they parte in the myse and tresour whiche therto by houeth as said is and that they take hede to the fortificacoÌ„n of townes cytees and enduyce the mene people to ayde theyr lord Item somÌ„e of the men of Crafte for more to honoure the sayd peple And that they be the more enclined and the better willed to aide their lord with their goodes of whiche thing they ought alle to be swetely prayd O how is that a proffitable thyng in seygnourye Royame or Cyte to haue true subgettis of grete loue For they faylle not in bodyes ne in goodes lyke as it appiered many tymes in rome whan the tresours of the cyte despeÌ„ded in grete warres in so moche that they had no thynge TheÌ„ne the ladies them self of their propre mocoÌ„n brought theyr Iewellis ryche adournemens and with theyr good wylle brought delyuerd them for to socoure to the necessite of the toun cyte the whiche afterward were gretely restored agayn as good reason was And for to holde this waye wel gaaf ensample the good wyse kyng charles the fyfthe of that name fader of this that presently regneth the whiche anon after he had be crowned what dyde he as in the age of xxv yere as he behelde that the englissh men helde euyl the couenauÌ„tes made of the treatye of the peas whiche he hadde by necessite dyuerse fortune acoorded to theym how wel it was to hym right doÌ„mageable and that not withâ—stondyng that it was agreed to theym to holde grete parte of the duchye of guyenne many other londes seignouries in other places in the royaulme of frauÌ„ce but that suffysed them not but marched defowled greued by theyr pryde ouerwenyng the other contrees neyghbours whiche apperteyned nothyng to theym sente the sayd kynge by aduyse his ambassiadours auctorised to the duc of lancastre sone of kynge edward of englond to his people whiche had doon the said oultrage that therof he wold cesse make ameÌ„des of the grieues doÌ„maiges made syth the said peas of whiche thynge suche was theffecte how wel the ansuere was curtoys ynowh the said ambassiadours were slayn in that iourney or waye wherfore the good wyse kynge seen that by constraynt had accorded the dishonourable peas the whiche englyssh men euyl helde for many other reasons whiche shold be ouer longe a thynge to recounte asseÌ„bled at parys at his parliameÌ„t the forsaid foure estates and with them alle the wyse iurystes strangers as wel of boloyne the craas as of other places suche as he myght haue and to theym purposed his reasons ayenst thenglyssh men demaundyng theyr aduys yf he had cause to bygynne warre for without iuste cause the regarde deliberacoÌ„n emonge theym and the consente wylle of his good subgettes in no wyse he wold doo it at whiche counseyl by long deliberacoÌ„n was concluded that he had good iuste cause to begynne agayn the warre thus the good wise kynge entreprysed it in whiche thynge god hath be so moche fauourable to his good right loued be he with the grete prudence of hym that alle the londes loste he gath sith recoÌ„querd with the swerde like as yet it appiereth ¶ Here is deuysed how it is not expedyent that a kyng or souerain prynce goo in bataylle for the peryllis of aduersayre fortune ¶ Capttulo vjo· TheÌ„ne by the way aforsaid the wyse kynge or prynce shal determyne to werke in the fayte to entrepryse warres bataylles And for as moche as it is a thynge notayre that in suche a fayt to bygynne mayntene contynue foure pryncypall thynges That is to wite an heed or chief hardynesse Strengthe and constaunce without the whyche alle shold goo to confusion ye yf that onely one of them faylled now it is to see yf it be good that the kynge or souuerayn prynce in his propre persone goo to his warre And be in the bataylle For as the faytte ought to touche hym more than ony other By whiche his presence myght represente the forsayd four thynges And with this
to pourueye to the we le of thoffyce then to the persone For it shold be a thyng moche to be reprened to chese one of hye blood beyng ygnorauÌ„t to sette hym in thoffyce in whiche subtylte wysedom and long vsage hath ofte more grete nede than the quantite of peple or ony other strengthe For Cathon saith that of alle other thynges the faultes may be amended sauf suche that be doon in bataylles of the whyche the payne ensieweth anone the faulte For euyl perisshe they that canne not wel deffende and to fugityues vnneth or with grete payne cometh agayn the herte to fighte Ther fore also with the other forsaid thynges it is necessarie that he be wyse of good naturel witte as he to whome hath be coÌ„mysed the knowelege of many thynges and that is as chyef of Iustyce lieutenaunt of the prynce for to doo right to euerichÌ„ of causes that may happen in caas of armes feattes of cheualrye of alle them that be vnder hym and also of strauÌ„gers whiche ofte happen in dyuerce maners And it is to wete that after the ryght of gentilnes and hye noblesse of courage apperteyneth to a good captayne whiche vseth thexcersyte of armes in alle caases that may to hym happene of all that gentylnes requyreth yf he wyl gete honour that is to wyte that also to his enemyes he be ryghtful verytable in feat in Iugement where it shall falle And with this that he honoure the good the valyauÌ„t in lyke wyse as he wold be of them honoured And this manere helde the valyauÌ„t kyng pirrus of Macedone wherof he gate grete loos whiche by cause he had founde so many valyauÌ„ces in the romayns how wel they were his grete enemyes â—e honoured them right gretely whan an ambassade cam to hym And also theym whom he slewe in bataylle he dyde doo buâ—â—â— theym honorably And of the noblesse of this kyng of his grete frauÌ„chyse it is yet wreton that he had in so grete 〈◊〉 the prysonners whiche he had taken in his bataylâ—es 〈…〉 wold not kepe ne reteyne them as prysoÌ„ners but rendâ—â—d 〈◊〉 deliuerd them all quyte The maners and condicoÌ„ns 〈◊〉 belongen to a good conestable ben these that he be not 〈◊〉 hastyf hoot fell ne angry But amesured and atâ—empoâ—aâ— rightful in iustice benygne in conuersacoÌ„n of hye maynâ—â—â—â— of lytyl wordes Sadde in couÌ„tenauÌ„ce no grete dysâ—ur of truffes verytable in worde and promesse hardy sure 〈◊〉 dyligent not coueytoê° fiers to his enemyes pyetous to them that be vainquissed and to them that be vnder hym he be not lightly angry ne be not moeued for lytyl occasion ne byleue ouer hastely for lityl apprence Ne yeue fayth to wordes whiche haue ne colour of trouthe â— ne that he be not curyous of mygnotes Iolyetes ne of iewellis â— but be he habylled arrayed rychely in harnoys mouÌ„tures contiene hym fiersly Ne be he not slouthful sluggyssh ne slepy ne curyous in metes festes in lyf delycate in serchyng alleway thestate couuyne of his aduersaires be he subtyl pourueyed wyly to deffende hym fro theym wysely to assaille them wel aduysed vpon their espies watches that he knowe to gouuerne his owen peple holde in ordre drede to doo right where he ought to doo it And that he be not ouer curyous to playe in noo games to honoure the good and them that be worthy nyghe to hym wel to rewarde theym that deserue it And that he be large lyberal in caas that it be requysyte that his comyn speche be of armes of fayttes of chyualrye and of the valyauÌ„ces of good men And that he kepe hym wel from avauntyng be he louyng hys prynce trewe to hym fauorable to wedowes to orphans to the poure ne make grete compt of a lityl trespace doon to his persone And smale debate to pardone lightly to hym that repenteth and aboue all other thyng to loue god the chyrche to sustene helpe right Thyse sayd condycoÌ„ns bylongen to a good conestable And by consequent to the marchallis to alle theym of semblable offyces ¶ Here alledge to purpoos of excercyte of armes somÌ„e auctours whiche herof haue spoken the maners whiche helden the valiauÌ„t auÌ„cyens conquerours in armes ¶ Capio· viijo· AFter that we haue deuysed what offycers ought to be chosen or at leste theym that haue condycoÌ„ns next and moste lyke to theym a forsaid whiche shal be coÌ„mysed capytayns conduytours of the chyualrye of the prynce or kynge it bihoueth vs to saye in what werkes thynges theyr excersyte shal extende And by cause that dyuerce auctâ—urs lerne me to speke whiche haue wreton I shal produce in to wytnes theyr sayengis And pryncypally vegece whyche in the tyme of valentyne themperour notably made a propre boke of the dysciplyne arte whiche the right conquerours helden whiche brought to ende by wysedom and vertue of armes thynges whiche now in this present tyme shold sâ—me as Impossible And this thynge wel affermeth by hys worde the sayd kyng pyrrus whan he had assayed proued the valyauÌ„ce of the romayns Of whome a lytyl quaÌ„tyte wythstood ayenst his oost whyche was so grete that they couerde thenne montaynes valeyes TheÌ„ne the said kyng pirrus saide yf I had suche knyghtes I shold conquere alle the world And by this it is to suppose that grete wytte trauayll propre industrye achieuen soo hye empryses as to conquere the worlde lyke as dyde the romayns and other coÌ„querours of whome the maners and ordres that they helden many wyse men registred them the whiche thynges for eâ—ample to be conformed to theym yf they seme good ben for to be herde propyce expedyent For the said vegece saith who that wylle haue peas lete hym lerne to fyghte who loueth victorye owght to knowe the feat of armes the knyght that desireth good aduenture lete hym fyghte by arte or crafte that is to wyte by wysedom and not at all aduenture â— none dare grieue ne angre him the supposeth shal surmouÌ„â—e 〈◊〉 ouercome yf he be assaylled Soo is it by the grete conquestes that the auncyens dyde somme tyme that the peple be not now so valyaunt as they were woned to be And of this whome it is a longe or causeth the fornamed vegece rendrith the reason that sayth â— that the longe peas rendryth the men whiche herto fore by longe and contynuel trauayllis were woned to excersice the feat of armes sette nothyng by that occupacyon But now ben put in delyte reste and to couetyse of money whiche the noble auncyens preysed nothyng but honour of armes ne sette nought ther by And thus is chyualrye sette in neclygence as it were forgoten not raught of And he sayd the romayns in lyke wyse whiche had goten many londes conquerde lefte on a tyme thexcercyte of armes whiche by
theyr discontynuaunce they were by hanybal prynce of auffryke desconfyted in the seconde bataille where as they loste all theyr seignourye tofore canes in puylle whiche was soo horrible that almost alle they of rome were deed And theyr chieuetains taken destroyed also the noble chyualrye in so grete quantite that after the desconfiture hanybal whiche dyde doo serche the felde had thre mues or busshe lis all full of rynges of gold fro theyr fyngres lyke as thistorye saith the whiche he dyde doo bere in to his contre in signe and Ioye of that vyctorye But aftre whenne the said excersice of werre was of the noble auncyents taken vp ayen they alwayes had victorye Therfore concludeth the said auctour to the louing praysing of the contynuall excersyce of armes that more profytable is to a kyng or prynce to see his men vsed wel taught in the said art and fait of armes how fewe or lytyl quaÌ„tite of peple that he hath than to take and reteyne vnder hym grete foison of strange souldeours that he knoweth not nothyng so ferme ne stable saith he ne that more is to be commended than is a contree where foyson of gode men of armes be wel lerned taught in all that longeth to the fayt of werre for nethre gold ne siluer nor precyous stones vaynquysshe nor ouercome not the enemyes nor make not thenhabytans to lyue in peas as doeth may doo the might of worthy chyualrye wel taught And of suche folke ought not to be Iuged aftre the folysshe sentence of the kyng Bynytus of gallya or fraunce whiche aftre he had enuaysshed the romayns with Ciiij soore thousand men armed and sawe hem come ayenst hym with so lytyl a quantyte despysed them and sayd that they were not men ynoughe for to satisfye thappetit of the dogges of his oost But not withstandyng was ther men ynoughe for to dystresse bothe hym and his grete oost as is happed soone after lyke as thystory recounteth And this for to conferme after the sayng of the said Auctour we shall first speke of the doctryne and lore that thauncyent nobles yaue vnto theyr chyldren in tyme of they re youthe And then shal we retourne to the matiere of the said chieftain or chieftains of the chyualrye The said vegece to purpos saith in the first chapytre of his first boke We by noon othre meanes nor manere can perceyue ne see the cyte of rome to haue subdued vnto her the countrees of the worlde but by vse of armes and by techynges of ostes of knyghthode For al ynoughe may be presumed that so small a quantyte of folke as the romains were at the first shuld do lytyl harme to the grete multitude of frenshmeÌ„ The wytte of the grekis as Titus liuius saith dyde resiste ayenst themalyce strength of them of affrique And by this we conclude as it is afore said that bettre is a small quantite of folke vsed and wel taught in fayt of armes by coÌ„tynuel excersice of al that therof may fall in the doubtouse happe of bataill than is a grete mlÌ„tytude of rude folke nought knowing for as he saith â— the manere of connyng to knowe that that in werres bataylles bâ—longeth groweth norissheth gyueth hardynes to fyght as it is so that noon doubteth to do that in whiche he feleth hymself lerned expert taught And al sciences craftes are knowen lerned by contynuaÌ„s of vsage Thus yf it be trouthe saith vegece that this be in small thingis â— bettre it behoueth to kepe the same in thynges that ben right grete O what is it of men vsed made to the werre and that be subtyl in thexcersice of armes with peyne can they be ouercome by noo maner of straunge aduenture that neuer was seen bifore As it appiered that tyme the romayns founde the crafte the manere for to sle the multitude of Elephantê that ben so grete and ferfull bestis wat bothe men and horses of they re syght were affrayed that the cartagiens and they of parthe had brought ayenst theym And the wyse romayns made engyns by the whiche they lanchid cast vnto theim sharp barres of brennyng yron and thus distroyed them And therfore saith thauctour that of al artes or craftê in a lande more to be comended is the arte of fighting in excersice of werre For by that is the fredom of the lande place or contrey surely kept and the dignite of the prouince is ther by encreaced and the auncyent worthy men as it is said soueraynly kept the same first the grekes and they of lacemodone right valyaunt and strong werryours And thenne this arte to lerne vndrestande aboue al other thing were the romains curyous fayne and the fame honour that ensued theym for the same appiereth and is wel knowen ¶ Here deuyseth sheweth the manere that the noble auntient worthy men kept to thyntroduction lernyng of they re childre in the doctrine of faitê of armes ¶ Capio· ixo· The auncient noble men thenne that by haultnes of corage desyred al wayes that thexcersise of armes shuld be contynued to th ende the comyn wele of they re lordshipes and cytees shulde be the bettre amended and deffended made not they re children to be norisshed in the kyngis prynces courtê for to lerne pryde lechery nor to were waÌ„ton clothing But dide so by cause in tyme to come of they re flowryng aage myght serue the prynce and the countrey in that offyce that apparteyneth to noble men had of a custume whan they re children were com to xiiij yere of aage they made hem to be taught in al suche thyng that longueth to knyghthed and in faites of werre And is to wite that there were in certayn places propre sooles where they were induced And taught to were harneys handlyng of staues deffensyng and the fayt the wayes of thesame And therfore wyl vegece say there as he speketh to this purpoos in his fourth chapitre of his first boke that the noble men ought to peyne hem self to drawe they re children in they re first youthe to the loue of fayttes of armes for the yong child is able to conceyne kepe in mynde that that men shewe to hym and naturelly chyldren are glad and wyllyng to tyse hem self to suche thingis as men see that they wrastle lepen playe one with other moeuing they re bodyes So ought theÌ„ne to be shewed vnto them the tournez of swiftnes to caste fyghte with bothe they re armes and the manere how they shall glauÌ„che or with drathe themself from the strokes that in trauers or sydlyng may come to lepen oner trenchis or dyches to lanche or cast sperys dartes and the waye to couere saue hem self with they re sheldes and to doo al other semblable thyngis And vnto them they shewed also how in castyng of sperys or dartes they shuld sett they re
men that moost haue seen and that take moost delyte haue plesurÌ„ in thexersice of armes in whiche labour is they re glorye they re Ioye sette and that none othre felicite nor worshipÌ„ they requyre but onely that that may comÌ„ to theym by meane of they re cheualrouse dedes and suche of what nacyoÌ„ that they be of are to be taken receyued and trouth it is that with thauctours all good witte ought to accorde that yf the captayn hath nede of folke of the comynaltee he ought singulerly to chese theym that canÌ„ somÌ„ craftes as bochers that are woned to shede bloode to smyte with axes â— carpenters smythes and all other that excersyce they re bodyes in trauaill and in werkes that be doon by might of mannâ—s â—and Also menÌ„ of the countrey to whome harde lyeng â—â—yne and labour is not straunge are norysshed of rude fâ—de suche be good to suffre peyne trauayll without whiche thyng is not made werre that long is demened kept ¶ Here begynneth to speke of the maners that behouen to a Constable or cheff captayn in executyng of his office ¶ Capitulo Duodecimo IT is so theÌ„ne that the werre delybered bygonne and by the prynce souerayne receyued sent deffyauÌ„ce as the guyse is The wyse captayne that commytted is to the same shall ordeyne see first of all that the fronâ—yers 〈◊〉 borders be wel garnysshed aswell of gode men of werre as of artyllerye of al maner shot of all othre deffensable necessaryes almaner of garnysen of suche quaÌ„tite as â—ym shâ—l seme gode aftre the qualyte of the aduersaryes And the townes fortresses so garnysshed lacke of nothing he shal aduyse what nombre of men he nedeth for to doo that he hath and shal haue to doo vpon his entrepryse So shal he chose out amonge all other the best men of armes and semblably of them that occupye shotyng gonners and othre vnto the nombre that necessary is for him â— And by cause that now commynly it is so taken that that the vyctorye of the bataille by reason ought to falle to that partye that more folke are Ayenst this oppynyon saithe vegece that it suffyseth for a comyn bataylle to lede a legion of gode men of armes with thyr aydes A legion of men of armes is in nombre vi Myll lxvi that we may so take as we saye for sperys And al othre auctours that herof haue writon accorden what vegece saying that as in an ouergrete quantite is confusion it suffiseth at the moost ayenst al multitude of enemyes two legions without moo of good men of armes so that they be conducted ladd by souerayne ordynauÌ„ce whiche be in nombre lytil more than xiij myll sperys And it is founde that many ostes haue be dysconfyted by they re owne multitude more thenne by the force of they re enemyes and why certes a gode reason is therto for the grete multitude is more stronge to be kepte holden in ordre oste falleth to a grete myscheff for hyr gret pesauÌ„t weyght and is more nedy of vytailles more debates be there And more long to passe forthe awaye and it happeth often easely that the enemyes how wel that they be of litel quantite awayten to ouercomÌ„ them as they go thrughe narow passages ryueres And there is the parell for tauauÌ„ce nor haste hem self they can not but they shal lette eche othre and namely in arreÌ„ged batailles they ouerpresse ouerstep one ouer that othre by suche amauere that they smoldre eche othre And therfore as it is said afore the auncyent that the thing that be coÌ„uenable to a bataille had taught and the perillis shewed by experience comended more to haue a litel ost wel taught than a grete multitude The hie cheff captayne shal ordeyne ouer suche folke as he shal haue dyuers captaynes conestables vndre whom he shal commytte certayn nombre of men of armes to somÌ„ more And lesse to somÌ„ othre aftre they re suffysaunce and lyke wise shall departe with them his gonners laborers shoters And thenne hym self suche as he hath commyted shall see them mustre dyuers tymes in the feldis that one after that other There shal be take gode hede that noon be reteyned but he be passable so that noo fawte be neythre in his persone nor in harnoys of what astate that they be And there shal be wyse comyssaryes that gode hede shal take that for couetyse of the payemeÌ„t of the souldyours noo decepcion be made by retenue of suche that be vnable from olde tyme were the hede captaynes first of all ryght straytly sworne that they feythfully truly shuld serue the prynce or the countre without that for fere of dethe nor for to eschewe what soemer parell that it were they shuld not fle nor for sake the bataille And they in lyke wyse toke the othes of euery man of armes when they reteyned hem in wages Thees thynges wel duely made after that he shal see that he haue gode surete assignacyon for the payement of his men of armes for the tyme that he thynketh that this armee shal laste For to this ought singulerly al cheff cappâ—taynes to take gode hede as to that thyng pryncypall that may eythre make or deffeate they re entrepryse For noon entende for to haue gode men of armes without they be wel payed For none sooner declyneth they re payement but that they re coragis fayllen ¶ Here deuyseth the manere that to a chief captayne longeth to kepe in lodgyng of his ost after that the bokes of armes sayen ¶ Capio· xiijo· ANd yf it be so that the said chief captayne goo purposyngly to assemble in bataille with his enemyes of whiche he awayteth they re comyng wherfor hym nedeth to kepe the feldis for a space of tyme and to lodge there his ost he shal aduise with a good hede after the supposyng that he hathe of commyng of his aduersaries to lodge his oost in the best wyse he can and to take fyrst yf he may the aduauntage of the grounde the best waye for hym self to the hurt and hynderaunce of his enemyes And tytus liuius sayth that som tyme whan they of gallya were goon with they re oostes vpon the romayns whiche knowyng they re commyng went ayenst them as they first toke thaduauntage of the feld and of the place dide lodge hem self in suche manere that they were betwix they re enemyes the ryuer For the whiche cause they vaynquisshed and ouercome they re ennemyes more by thurst than by armes And it suffyseth not to take a gode place in a felde but suche that theyr enemyes yf they approche may not chese for them self ony bettre So shall he establisshe his lodgis to the highest part of the feld nyghe the ryuere and that noo hille shadowe them yf he may and that the place of they re lodgis be of
there his espies subtylli for to enquere vndrestaÌ„de the purpos of his enemyes what they re way be by theire reporte made vnto him what folk in nombre his enemyes be to the regarde of the quaÌ„tite of his owne ost what manere of folke they be what his owne how stroÌ„g how they are armed which of bothe ê‘ties is bettre horsed what appareill ordynauÌ„ce they haue what comynaltee they haue of what nacioÌ„ what socours of whens it may comÌ„ aswell to his 〈…〉 and what aduauntage hath the one partye more than that other And herupon he shal take thaduis and oppinion of dyuers chyualrous wyse and gode captaynes that shal be of his counseil olde and gode true men of gode sadde counseyl and expert in faytis of armes Nor he shal not do nothiÌ„g onely by his owne heed but shal make his entrepryse after thaduys of many men by whos regarde and direction he wyth them shall conclude by gode delyberacyon that whiche is best for to be doon to gyue bataille to his aduersaryes or not soone or late or whether he shall abyde and tary tyl his enemyes com to sawte his and hym kepyng alwayes gode watche and euery man at his warde for to deceyue by some cawtell hys aduersaryes But and yf he can knowe hys enemyes to be waytyng after eny socours he shall make haste to fyght wyth them And yf he hym self abydeth for socours he shall tary yf he be not able hauyng alweyes gode kepe and gode watche and to see that althyng be redyly prest at hande to th eÌ„de that at they re mete or by night tyme they be not ouercome vnbeware For as the mayster sayth in moost surete is ofte woned to fall grete peryll And therfore ought the hed captayne yf he see hys tyme to assaylle hys enemyes whyle they be at mete or a slepe or ellis when they be traueylled and wery of the waye or ellis when they re horses taken they re pasture they re fode whan they thynke to be moost sure For to them saith he that be so ouertaken neyther vertu nor strengthe maketh noo force to them nor multytude of peple may not proffyte hem But hym that hys ouercome in a bataylle How be it that hys wytte in the arte and vse of armes myght not that tyme profyte hym Natheles in hys wrathe he may complayn vpon fortune But he that vaynquysshed is or hurt by the subtylnes of his ennemye can blame noon but onely the deffauwte of his owne self For he myght haue eschewid hys hurt yf he had be as kepefull and dyligent to kepe hym self as his ennemye was for to make a surpryse vpon hym O how wel shewed that of wyse assayllyng or sawtyng was a mayster that valyaunt scipion of affryke whan that he so moche dyde that he fonde a waye and a meane by myght that al the lodgys of hys enemyes were sette al on a fyre and soone after ranne vpon hem so sharply that they wist not wher at they shuld a wayte nor take kepe and thus they were dysconfyted more by abaysshment than by armes And this purpoos of espyeng of enemyes vegece sayth that much proffytable a thyng it is in an ost to haue wise espyes that can wel fynde the wayes to lerne and vndrestande the couuyne of the aduersaryes For suche can entremette hem self by yeftis or grete promesses and by subtyl wayes to drawe to them somme or many namely yf they may that be of the counseyll of that other partye so that they knowe what is they re entent and purpoos for to doo And by thys may the chyef captayne see what it is best for hym to doo And wyth this saith yet vegece that muche it proffiteth to fynde wayes who may to make disceÌ„cyon emong the enemyes and that they dysdayne to obeye to they re capytayne of whyche the condicyons men ought for to knowe to take hym who may thrughe hys owne maners of dealyng herof ought the wyse capytayne to be wel aduysed for noo manere of nacyoÌ„ how litel that it be can not in all thyngis be putte a doun by enemyes wythout it be that dyscencyon and debate hap to fall emoÌ„ge hem self seÌ„blably the duc or captayn that so shal sende out his espyes shal take gode kepe that he hiÌ„self be not nor his couine discouerd and ther fore right al thus as they that goo by the see that know not the paryllous passagis that be there in dyuerses placis costes of the same wyl haue all suche parellis paynted in parchemyn or paper for to eschew them as they shal saylle So in lykewyse the captaynes and leders of oostis ought to knowe the wayes the passagis the mouÌ„taines the forestis the wodis the waters the ryuers and the narowe passagis where as they must passe And how wel the gode captayne be wel enformed of all this yet for fere of fallyng in this caas he shal take with hym yf it nedeth suche of the countre to lede his oost that can the wayes wel The which so taken wyth hym shal make them to be so wel kept that they may not scape to th ende that they haue noo space yf they wold to betraye the oost Soo shal he gyue hem money and shal promyse hem a grete reward yf wel and truly they lede hym and his oost And by thretnyng he shal also â—raye hem yf they doo the contrary And straytly shal commaunde the hed captayne to them all that be of his counseyl vpon they re othe that they shal vttir nor say what waye he purposeth to goo nor where he thynketh to lede his oost nor what his purpoos is to doo For vnnethe wythout ony traytours is ony oost And harde it were that there as grete quantyte of folke is gadred to gidre namely where grete foyson of strangers be that they alle sheld be of a gode coâ—â—agâ— But he oughte to â—orte that noo thyng of lesse suffraunce is in the world to pryncis lordis and heed captaynes of an oost â— Than they that be knowen suche euyll reward they ought to haue for what soeuer trayson that they doo wel shewed this the romayns to them that traytoursly slew Centoryus they re lord by cause that 〈…〉 it he was a â—ommayn he had made grete werre ayenst them of rome for despyt and enuy that he bare to other prynces of the romains But whan the traytours cam for to haue receyue they re reward dethe was to them â—ouen for they re payement and was told hem that suche reward ought to haue al suche traytours It is semblably wryton that king alexandre dide so to them that thought to haue a plesure of hym that slew king darnis they re lord With this he shal coÌ„mytte also suche of his that be gode true and wel horsed to serche a fore there for to take kepe that the oost â—e not aspyed
watched And vegece saith that â—spyes must be sent a fore as though they were pylgrymes or laborâ—â—s that bothe day nyght seke about to wite and see yf 〈…〉 be layed oughwhere and yf thees spies comme 〈◊〉 ayen then ought the captayne to take another waye 〈◊〉 may For it is a token that they be taken and suche men 〈◊〉 â—â—â—tourment and peyne doon to them of tymes shewe 〈…〉 they knowe of He shat not be noo prenâ—â—z also in 〈◊〉 his oost when he departeth in fayre ordenaunce â—nd 〈◊〉 that is to wite the best of his men wyth foyson 〈…〉 that syde as he thinkes that more grete perill may 〈◊〉 fall and shal comaunde that the feblest parâ— shal 〈…〉 most part of his ost and shal ordeyne and commyâ—â—◠〈◊〉 other â—ety captaynes that be in the forewarde â—or 〈◊〉 marche forth in fayre ordynaunce that one 〈…〉 to that other and alweyes redy for to 〈…〉 yf it nede be And after shal folowe the 〈…〉 and shal marche paas by paas Ioyned 〈…〉 thycke as awalle wyth they re 〈…〉 fleyng out a brode wyth the 〈…〉 shal 〈◊〉 the â—rryere garde by semblable 〈…〉 saith that the caâ—tiâ— and bagage 〈…〉 forewarde for the more surte of the same or ellis by fore the arriere garde And by cause it happeth som tyme to be sawted on the sydes by somÌ„ embushe that falleth vpon vnbewarre the captayne shal ther fore ordeyne for socours to be redy at eny tyme on euery syde And the boke of armes saith that the captayne ought syngulerly to take gode hede to the manere of goyng of his peple that they make they re paas egall lyke and that they kepe styl gode ordenaunce For an ost vnordynatly renged wherrof that one felawship hasteth to marche and that other withdrawith it his in grete peryll nor noo thyng is mor preiudicyable in a bataille than dysordonaunce or to go out of array and he saith that the Iourney of an ost ought to be of x m paaces in the somer or ellis v owres that may amounte to v myle of waye and yf nede ledeth hem they may go yet as he saith ij M paas and noo more and ought to be wel wyse that by long way nor trauayll his ost falle not to somÌ„ syknes for fawte of reste wherfor he must see to departe at a couenable owre so that they may comÌ„ to lodgyng er the nyght comÌ„ vpon hem And that in the short dayes of the wynter they departe not so late that thrughe raine snowe or froste they must go a grete part of the nyght and he shal see also that his ost be alweyes purueyed as he goeth with wode for to make fyre with all For noothyng so nedefull is in an ost as is the fyre that they vse of noon euyl watres that myght engendre in them somÌ„ pestilence that in suche an assemble syke folke nede not and it is a grete myscheffe whan necessite of bataylle chasseth them that by syknes are as dysconfyt to do more than they can ¶ Here speketh of the passage of ostis ouer flodes and Ryuers ¶ Capio· xvijo· IT falleth somtyme so that an ost must passe ouer grete watres ryues which thyng is grete acombrauÌ„ce and full of parel and the remedyes for to passe them ouer dyscriueth vegece sayng that first men must wysely knowe wher the watre is lest and most low and there in trauers ought to be sett a route of folke wel horsed and another in like wyse vndrenethe and thus shal passe betwix them bothe the grete flote of the oost And saith that they that be vpward shal hold the swiftnes of the watres and they that be donuwardis they may kepe vp them that the watre myght throwe a doun And yf the watre be so grete that this remedy can not serue and that nedes it muste be passed the captayne shal haue his bridgis redy made tofore which shal doo to be borne alwayes with hym in charyotis or cartis of which bridgis som may be made vpon pipes bounden togider and wel teyed with ropys by trauers of the ryuere bordis wel fastued thrupon with pynnes made of wode which brydge may be soone dressed vpon the water as men doo vpon leuys by witte of subtyl maystres and som may be made with stakis fast pight within the watre with ropes that shal retche in trauers from that one stake to that other vpon whiche ropes the cordis shal be sett for folke to go ouer Another manere of bridgis may be founde that is with shippes couered with bordis and wel made fast that one vessel to wat other and this manere of wayes is the surest for a brydge who that can recouer so many vessell is yet men may make a brydge with long peers of tymber and sett hem in trauers of the ryuere with hyrdellis therupon and couered with hors donge and they must be ancred withim theâ— watre that they may be stedfast And by suche manere of wayes they may passe hem self ouer lyghtly â— but dyuerse other remedyes fonde in this byhalue the kyng Cirus of perse when he went for to take the cyte of Babilonne For as he cam to the ryuere of Euffrates he fonde it soo large so deâ—e that hit semyd as Impossible that eny ost of men shuld haue past hit ouer Wherfore by force of men he dyde doo make dyches dalue the erth so that the said flood was parted in iiij C lxvi ryuers And by this meane he and his grete ostis dyde passe ouer And thus there is nothyng but that the witte of man can reche whan wisedom wille be to gider sett therto With this it is recounted by thauncyent historyes that the conquerours in olde tyme were so taught so gode maistres of swymyng that they sette but litell for to haue goon ouer a grete watre and had grete pecis of tymbre made holowe as chestis in which they drew they re harnoys vitailles after hem and other made fagottis or boundellis of drye rede and bounde hem vp and soo passed ouer And yf the bridge must of nede abyde styl for to passe contynuelly repasse ouer it must be fortyffied with dicbes with strong palis that shal be kept of gode men of armes archers at the syde of the enemyes And where this manere of dooyng shuld seme light by heryng say and harde of dooyng to them that haue not lerned the way therof that myght say that of suche thingis it is but a dreme It is no Iape that whan the grete oostis of the romayns duryng the space of xxx yere moo went dyuerse tymes fro rome in Affrike vnto the cite of cartage and yet ferther in other countrees where they must passe grete flodes grete ryuers and like wise thrugh all the landis that they gate subdued they had noo bridgis made of stone nor noo vessellis they fonde for to passe hem ouer wherfore they
fonde as for nede al suche wayes of makyng of brydgis And yf it happed that they passed ouer on the myght by the moue lyght or ellis so secretly that the enemyes can not knowe nothyng therof they must assoone as they be past arme hem self and putte hem self ayen in gode ordynaunce that they be not ouertaken vnbewarre And kepe forth on theyr way with a fayre lytel paas by suche an ordre that yf eny enemyes com vpon hem they may be able and redy to bere more peyne and suffre more perell than they can gyue hem But yf they may eschew hem by mountaynes and leue they re enemyes vndrenethe it is a grete auauntayge and surete for them And yf it be soo that they fynde the wayes narowe by combraunce of busshes and hedges it is bettre as vegece sayth that they cutte hem and open hem a brode wyth they re handys for makyng of the way than that they shuld abyde or suffre grete peryll in the hyghe and brode wayes ¶ Here speketh of the maneres that the chyef captayne of an ost ought to hold kepe whan he thinketh to have shortly a bataylle ¶ Capitulo xviijo· After that whych a boue is sayd must be here spoken of certayn poyntis aduyses and wayes that to a captayne are gode to be kept that tyme he supposeth to receyue soone a bataylle after the boke of armes and other auctours that haue spoken of thys matere And it is to wyte that when men fele they re enemyes commyng wylling to ouer renne the lande they ought not yf they can to suffre hem to entre the countrey but shal go axenst them wyth a grete oost For muche bettre it is to hurt anothris lande than to suffre his owne to be dommaged Whan a captayne theÌ„ne is comÌ„ to that place as he thinketh to haue shortly Anthiocus of Europe that is to wyte by nyght whan they re oostys were traueylled and lacked rested And noo kepe they toke of them self the whyche rommayns beyng but a fewe in quantyte slew more than lx thousand of the forsayd two kyngys men as thistorye recounteth ¶ And vegece sayth that where a bataylle is doon in two or in thre owres after whyche al manere trust and hope is goon from that partye that is ouer come And by cause that the fortune of the vyctorye can not be knowen of afore The wyse captayne ought not to putte nor vaunce forth hym and hys men lyghtly to a bataylle in a plain feld but yf he see that it be to hys grete avauntage And that a day of bataylle sette is to be dradd and redoubted as a thing that is putt in a grete Iâ—opardye Wel it was assayed and prouyd of the rommayns that tyme they had sent they re grete oost in to hyspayne that tourned rebell ayenst hem Where as of the bataylle whych they founde there redy ayenst hem remayned not of hem alle one personne that myght reporte the tydyngys to rome but knew hyt a gode while after by strangers ¶ Therfore ought the Duc to hurte hys ennemyes lytel and ofte by fayre scarmysshes by watches and by busshementys ¶ And by suche waye to mynushe them day by day as muche as he can ¶ Item he saith also that whan it happeth that prisonners be taken duryng the werre in scarmyshyng or otherwyse men ought to entreate and fare so fowll with them that thei be putte therby in despaire of theyr lyffe Yf hyt be so that they that so haue taken hem Awayte after the bataylle by cause that they re ennemyes hauyng noo trust to fynde nother pyte nor mercy in them yf they were vaynquysshed of them shuld deffende them self and fight more corageously for they re lyffe For many a tyme it hath be seen that a lytyl quantyte of men thus desperate of mercy and pytie dyscomfyted and ouer cam a grete and a mughti oost by cause that they wold rather dey fightyng than to fall in the cruell handys of they re ennemyes ¶ And so it is a grete peryll to be fight suche men ¶ For they re streÌ„gthe groweth and doubbeth wyth in hem ¶ Therfore ought the Duc or captayne sayth he to vndrestande and knowe as a rygtewys Iuge doeth the trouthe of a matere or he gyue hys sentence Alswel the strengthe as thaduauntage that hys enemye hath ouer hym and how and wherrof he may hurt hym wherupon he shal take wyse counseyll to wyte what he hath to doo ¶ For by this manere of waye hath of tymes a small quantyte of folke that ledd werre by wyse captaynes ouer come a grete multytude as it is sayd bifore ¶ But yf it happe saith vegece that thyn enemye presse the muche for to gyue hym a day of bataylle and that he hasteth to be fyght the take hede whether it is at hys aduauntage and to thy hurt and dommage but doo nothyng nor medle not but yf thou see thy tyme ¶ Here sheweth the manere of behauyng that a chyef captayne ought to holde yf hyt happe that he wyl departe from the feld witout abydyng or gyuyng of eny bataylle ¶ Capitulo xix BVt we putte a cas that the prynce hap to sende worde to the captayne that he tourne agayn wytout gyuing of eny bataylle nor that he make no more adoo or that the chyef captayne wold take hym self vpon hym for certayn cause to leue the feld it is to consydere to see what manere be sure Thenne shall come out vpon hem they that be in busshementys sette for theym and by grete vertu and streÌ„gthe shal hurte and domage hem ¶ And how so euer it is He that departeth from hys ennemye ought by al manere of wayes to puruey that yf he be chassed and folowed that they that chasseth and pursiewith hym haue som myshap at his retourne ageyn eythre by settiÌ„g of a watche for them or ellys by som other manere ¶ And yf it nedeth them that shal make chasse after the to passe ouer som flode or ryuere leye thy watche so for theym that they that shall passe first may be ouer ronne by thy men and that another partye of thy peple be putte in a busshement at the bac syde of thim enemyes yf thou can for to sawte them that yet awayten for to passe ouer the ryuere And yf thou nede thy self for to passe thrughe woodis or by som narowe wayes see that thou sende a fore som personnes of the oost that be feithfull and true that can reporte vnto the the pathes and whether eny busshement be there layed or not For a lesse shame it were to receyue a dommayge in fightyng openly wyth hys enemye than to haue eny combraunce lettyng by som awaytyng sette wherof men had take noo kepe vnto it thorughe necligence ¶ Here sheweth how the hed captaine of an oost that falleth in a treatee of peas or taketh trewes with his enemyes ought to kepe hymself and his peple from suche peryls as he
be whyle that he lyueth the bettre bothe in honnour and proffyte ¶ Now late vs goo wythout fere and hardyly my dere chyldren frendes and brethern̄ ayenst thees folke commendynge oure self vnto god that he wyl graunte vs the vyctory ouer theym as we all desyre the same ¶ Suche maneres of wordes shal say the hed capytayne vnto his men and that this ought to be doo all the auctoures accorden in one that of thys caas haue spoken and sayen that thees maneres kepte Iulyus Cesar Pompee Scipyon and the other conquerours And wyth thys afferme and holden that the wyse capytayne oughte to be large and not couetouse ¶ For it is to be knowen that the bokes of knyghthode lerne noo couetyse to be had in noo manere of capytayne but onely to see for the pryce and worshyppe that longen to the fayttes of armes And certeynly thys shewed wel the good duc Fabrycyus the whyche for example of hys bountefulnes we soo often Remembre hym in thys boke Whan that the kynge Pyrrus hys enemye that sore muche desyred to drawe hym with hys partye by cause he was soo worthy sent hym a grete quantyte of plate bothe of golde and of syluere For by cause that he vndrestode that he was so poure that he was serued at his owne borde with vessellys of wode and platers made of tree and sent hym worde that to so hyghe a man as he was apparteyned wel ryche seruyce But he reffused them and ansuered that he loned bettre to ete hys mete in treen dysshes wyth worship than in dysshes of gold wyth reproche and shame ¶ Thenne thus it behoueth that the sayd hed capytayne be benygne and gracyouse emonge hys folke For otherwyse he were not worthy to be amytted to that offyce For they say that by the meanes of hys largesse and benygnyte he may the bettre drawe vnto hym the hertes of hys folke to expose and Ieoparde wyth hym bothe body and lyffe than by ony other other thynge ¶ Hys benygnyte ought to gyue hardynes namely to the leste that ben of symple astate that they dare shewe and sygnyfye vnto hym some thynge yf hyt semeth hem good that concerneth the faycte of armes As it may hap somtyme that som of lowe degre may be of good aduys and of good counseyll For why god Imparteth hys gyftes of grace where he wyl ¶ And it is writon that the valyunt conquerours that be past and goon departed largely they re conquestes and proyes to they re men of armes And for them self it suffysed to haue onely the honoure of the bataylles and therfore they dide wyth they re folke what they wolde And that drawynge wordes are good vegece sayth that the good tysynge and the admonestyng of the worthy duc euerraceth in an oost hardynes corage and vertue And therfore in onys face trobleth hys syght full sore And lykewyse doeth the wynde that fylleth them wyth fonde And also the shoot of an arowe borne wyth the help of the wynde a lighteth more sore and bereth a gretter strengthe And also mynussheth and taketh away the force of the shot of the countrary part ¶ And it is here to knowe that by two maneres of wyles ouer cam the Rommayns in bataylle theym of Sycambre that was by enuahysshyng of suche an arte that they re ennemyes had the sonne to fore theym And that other was by soubdayn commynge vpon them so that noo layfer they had to putte hem self in ordynaunce ¶ Here deuiseth shortly the manere after the vse of the time present to renge an ost in a felde for to befyght his enemyes ¶ Capytulo xxiij WHere vegece putteth many maneres of wayes for to renge an oost in bataylle as it shal be sayd herafter the whyche in some maneres may be dyfferentes to the regarde of the ordynaunces of the tyme present The cause perauenture is by cause that the folke comynly in tho dayes faughten more on horsbacke than a fote ¶ And also where noo thynge there nys in the ordres of humayn dedes But that it is by long proces of tyme chaunged and tourned me semyth good to touche shortly somwhat in moost entendyble termes of the comon ordynaunces of the tyme present as ynough it is knowen of them that faytes of armes excersycen ¶ That is to wyte to make hys auauntgarde of a longe trayne of men of armes al clos togyder and renged full smothely that the one passe not that other the best and the moost chosyn in the fyrst fronte and the maresshalles wyth theym by they re baneres and standartes and at the formest sydes are made wynges in whych ben all maneres of shoters renged and in good arraye asswel gonners as balesters and archers ¶ After the fyrst bataylle that men calle the Forwarde commeth the grete bataylle where as all the grete flote and rowte of men of armes is putte al arrenged in a fayre ordre by they re capytaynes that haue among hem they re banneres and sygnes al vp whych are by dyuerse rowes one after a nother full smothly renged and not steppyng out of place For the Connestable doeth a cry to be made that noon vpon peyne of deth shall dysrowme hym self ¶ And som saye that yf eny quantyte of comons be there men oughte to fortyfye wyth suche manere of men the wingys of bothe sydes by fayre rowes wel ordred at the bak syde of the shot the whyche comons shal be taken and com mytted vnto good capytaynes and in lyke wyse they shal be renged byfore the grete bataylle so that yf they wolde flee they myght be kepte in styl by the men of armes that be behynde hem In the myddes of thys grete bataylle is putte the prynce of the oost and the pryncypall bannere borne byfore hym to the whyche is the byholdynge of the bataylle wherfore it is taken to holde hyt vp to one of the best and pryncypall of the sayd oost and a boute hyt ben of the best and mooste approued men of armes aswell for the suretee of the prynce as of thesame ¶ After folowynge thys grete bataylle commeth the thyrde that men calle the ryeregarde the whyche is ordeyned for cōforte And helpe theym that be a fore that semblably are putte in arraye by a fayre ordre And behynde thys bataylle ben fayrely putte the yomen on horsbacke that helpen they re masters yf nede be and holden and maken an obstakell that on the baksyde of the bataylle they be not enuahysshed ¶ Of the whyche thynge yf there be ynoughe of men of armes and that they be in a doubte les that the ennemyes wyl com at that syde thoo that surely wyl fyght and that ben wyse in fayttes of armes maken another bataylle that tourneth the bak towardys the other bataylles a foresayd all redy appareylled for to receyue them that wold comme ¶ And with thees sayd thynges comonly are ordeyned a quantyte of men of armes experte of the crafte and wel mounted
on horsbake and on fote and see that thou first of all whan it commeth to assemble togider hand to hande that thy lyfte wynge be Ioyned and sette vpon the ryght wynge of thin enemyes and asmuche as thou caust putte from the a backe the ryght hande of thyn aduersaryes and make haste for to enuyrone theym And that other parte of thyn oost whyche thou knowest not so stronge dysseuere theym asmuche as thou caust from that other contrary wynge so that sperys nor dartes may not lyght vpon theym And thou muste take kepe that thyn enemyes make not a plowmpe of they re folke to entre and breke thy bataylle in trauers In thys manere thenne men fyghten profytably and in specyall yf the fall happeth that the lefte corner of thyn enemye be of lesse strengthe than is the thyne The fourth manere of fightyng in a felde is suche whan thou shalt haue ordeyned thy bataylles with foure or fyue hondred fyghtyng men or euer thou make eny approche vpon thin enemies thou shalt so sodaynly doo moeue thin oost secretly with bothe thy wynges in a gode ordynaunce that from bothe the corners of thyn enemyes as nought purueyed shal be constrayned for to tourne they re backis and flee awaie and yf swyftly thou caust do so thou shalt haue victorye But this maniere al be it so that thou haue men ryght stronge and wel excersiced in armes I holde hit peryllouse For yf the half of thy bataylle is constrayned to desseuere and departe thyn oost in two partyes and that thyn enemyes be not ouercome at the first comynge on they shal haue occasion to assaylle thy men of armes that thus ben deuyded ¶ The fyfthe manere of fyghtyng is lyke vnto the fourth but so moche more it is that the archers and they that ben lyghtly armed shal be ordeyned by fore the fyrst bataylle to th ende that they be not broken out of ordynaunce And shal also assaylle enuaysshe wyth the ryght cornere of hys bataylle the lefte cornere of hys enemye and wyth the lyfte the ryght And yf thou mayst do so thou shal soone ouercome theym But the myddell bataylle is not in peryll by cause it is deffēded by them that ben lyghtly armed and by the archers The sixth manere of fyghtynge is right gode and almost lyke vnto the seconde And with the same are wont the good fyghters to helpe semself in hope of vyctorye how wel that they be but a fewe folke for to ordeyne wel they re bataylles The bataylle of the enemyes thenne al renged in a rowe thou shalt Ioyne thy ryght cornere to they re lyfte there thou shalt begynne the bataylle wyth the best men that thou hast on horsbacke and a fote And that other parte of the ost shal folowe of ferre the bataylle of thyn enemye the whyche parte shal be spred all streyght and yf thou canst come to the lyfte wynge of thyn enemyes they muste nedes tourne they re backys and thaduersary may not be socoured of hys ryght wynge nor wyth hys myddle batayll he can not helpe the other For the taylle of the ooste is exceded vnto the lyknes of the moost long lettre L fro ferre hyt departeth from hys enemye ¶ Of the same ¶ Capitulo xxvj THe seueth manere of fyghtyng is whan the rowme the place is propyce for hym that fyrst taketh the feld that is to wyte yf thou hast a place where as at the one syde of hyt thyn enemyes can not come as it is sayd for cause of the see or of flodes or of montaygnes mares grounde or other lettīgis how be it that thou haue good men and well renged in bataille by gode ordynaunce And at that syde of the place where as noon suche lettyng is thou shalt putte thy men on horsbacke and thenne fyght surely yf thou be assaylled For by the sayd lettyngis thou arte kept sauf of that one parte and lyke wyse of that other parte by the strēgthe of them that be on horsbacke And it is to be take hede vnto what syde that thou wylt fyght that thou putte fyrst the moost valyaunt men And for eny lytel quantyte of peple that thou haue be not dysmayed therfore For vyctorye hath wel acostumed to be had of fewe fyghters so that the wyse duc ordeyne them there as proffyte and rayson requyreth and it is to wite that namely thesame tyme they holpe hem self in they re bataylles by dyuerse maneres of engyns and wyles for to breke the bataylles at it is sayd here before as of oxen that had the fyre sette vndre they re taylles that were chassed towardis the partye aduerse And namely also they vsed at that tyme wyth semblable engyns as ben thoo that now be called Rybawdekyns For euyn thus were they sette vpon awhele and a man withyn as withyn a lytyl castell that was made al of yron and shot with a gonne or with arbalaster And had at euery syde of hym an archer and sharp yrons were dressed to the foresyde of thesame engyn as hyt had ben sperys And wyth the strengthe of men or of horses made many of suche engyns to entre al attones wythyn the bataille of the enemyes ¶ The ordre and the manere that the capytayne ought to kepe whan good Fortune is for hym ¶ Capitulo xxviij SOme that knowe not wel the tournes of armes wene for to helpe hem self in a bataylle wyth closynge of they re enemyes withyn a certeyn compace of a place or by enuyronnyng of hem rounde a boute with multytude of folke so that they can not yssue out by noo waye but this doeth moche to be doubted For hardynes groweth wythyn the hertes of thoos that ben so enclosed a boute by cause that the more that they thynke hem self but as for ded or ouercomen hauyng noo hope to come nor escape out they wol selle full dere her owne flesshe or they be take And therfore was the sentence of Scypyon preysed that sayde that men ought to make awaye to the enemyes where thrughe they may flee and to putte abusshement where as they shal passe fore by For whan they ben so sore ouerpressed and see awaye where they may go out yf they wyl they wol soone take hyt and putte hem self to flyght trowyng to be sauffe therby and thenne they may be bettre thus slayne than in deffensing of them self And many caste fro them they re armures harnoys for to flee more lyghtly and thus they ben slayne as bestes by them that chasse them And the more grete multytude that they be the greter is they re confusyon For noo nōbre ought to be sette by there as the corages ben for fere dyscomfyted al redy The wise men of armes sayen that whan a good fortune cometh to that one of the two partyes so that she ouercometh that other partye in bataylle men ought for to pursyewe styl hys good fortune al vnto the ende
made grete hyrdelles and brode to be tyde fast with chaynes and with ropis to the walles wythout forth that waued brake the strokis of the stones that were caste ayenst the walles with dyuers maneres of engyns so that they coude not hurt nor appayre the walles Or elles they made hour deys or obstacles full thykke of thornes and redy luted theym wyth dong and stones ayenst the walles whyche by thys were kept fro brusynge of the grete stones And sedyng watre brennyng ashes and al suche other thynges they had prest and redy for they re deffence ¶ The yates that were made of stronge tymber they made to be couered in tyme of werre wyth Lamynes of yron or wyth rawe leder by cause they shuld not be sette on fyre and therupon they had a barbackane And yet was there a hole made thrughe the walle where was sette a portecolys that hanged wyth rynges and chaynes of yron so that yf the enemyes cam there they shulde be surprysed and enclosed vnbewarre by the said protecollysse that men shuld late goo doune vpon theym and other holes were also there wherthrughe grete stones and other thynges myght be lached and caste vpon them ¶ Item the dyches ought to be made of a grete brede and so depe yf cas be that noo ryuere be rennyng there that the fortres may not be vndremyned but yf namely hit were sette vpon a roche But the auncyent kept wel they re fortresses frome this inconuenyent ¶ For wyth good betun lyme and cyment they bonde they re byldyng so fast and namely the fondementes of they re fortresses that they myght not be persed Also ought the dyches to be so depe and so large that they be not of lyght fylled by the enemyes and som auncyent made hem in olde tyme past to be massonned as a walle vp ryght atte the without forth syde so that one myght not descende hym self a doune theryn and yet with thys they strak full thikke al douneward the walle wyth sharp hokes and pynnes of yron that men calle caltrappes that letten ryght sore them that go doune the whiche thinges are comonly knowen as I trowe and semblably dyuerse other closes and garnysons of deffence wherfore it is noo grete nede as me semeth that I recyte nomore therof syn that the maystres of suche werkes ben therof wel lerned and taught in the tyme present ¶ Here deuysed of the garnysons that behouen to castelles and townes in tyme of warre ¶ Capytulo xvo· Lytel is worthe the strengthe of the walles of a castel how wel that hit be garnysshed of al deffensable thynges whan lacke and faulte of vytaille is there yf hit be beseged as it appyered by the stronge place of pnemon that closed was rounde about with seuen panes of strong walles al made of marbell stone and was sette vpon a roche and fortyfyed with grete toures al about that were wel garnysshed wyth good men of werre the whiche fortresse was famysshed by longe settyng of the syege that was layde afore And by cause that enemyes comonly att a syege force hem self to take awaye the watre fro the fortresse And it is gode to make there redy ayenst the engyns Cyment beton oylle pytche foyson of tawe to brenne the said engyns with all stele and yron to make and forge al manere of harnoys for the men of armes and maystres that can gode skyle in makyng of the same And foyson of tymber to make sperys demylaunces and other stauys wyth all And a grete plente of flyntstones or other harde stones muste be had vpon the batelementes of the walles and toures for to make deffence wyth all And also ought to be purueyed for pypes and other vesselles full of quyk lyme that shal be thrawen and shouen a doune vpon the ennemyes that wol clyme vp to the walle to th ende that the mouthes and the eyen of them that be mooste hardy may be stopped and fylled wyth all whan the vesselles shall breke in fallyng on the grounde ¶ Item behoueth to suche a garnyson a grete quantyte of bordes and herdelles and foyson nayles and pynne bothe of yron and of wode for to make entablementes ayenst te walles wythout forth ¶ And for to saye in generall they muste be wel purueyed and garnished of Lyme of Zande of Stone and of Plastre for to make cloysons and contrewalles and of carpenters and massons for to make hyt yf nede were ¶ Item a grete stoore muste there be of cordes and strengys for balestres and long bowes and senewys and other stuffe to make hem wyth all And yf yt happed that senewys myght not be recoured the horses manes and the tayles and namely the herys of women are atte a nede full good to make crosbowes cordes and strynges wyth all For wyth thys as vegece saith the romayns helped hemself right well whan Hanybal demeined hem so sore so longe that al manere of cordes and senewis were faylled emonge hem And thenne the worthy ladyes of rome that had ryght fayre and longe here trayllyng to the grounde and that had at that tyme in they re heerys they re mooste curyouse and mooste playsante appareyll hadde leuere to be defyled and naked from they re ryght fayre and yelowe treshes or lokkes for to socoure the yre cyte with all than to be arayed full fayre with they re longe and yelowe heerys and soone to be brought in to captyuyte and thraldome vndre the handes of they re enemyes and therfore they proffred they re heerys to the archers and shoters wherby rome was warauntyzed and kepte Item also they ought to be wel garnysshed wyth hornes of bestes for to amende ageyne they re crosbowes and in lyke wyse of rawe leder for to couere ayen they re engins and theire other edyffyces to th ende that they may not be sette in a fyre and to see a goode garnyson of men able and expert in al poyntes of armes and goode archers wel lerned and taughte in al that bilongeth to assaulte and hauyng the wayes of makynge deffense ayenst they re enemyes and to be of a nōbre couenable as the place requyreth For as a prouerbe saith The walles maken not the stronge castelles but the deffense of good folke maketh hit imprenable and it ought not to be forgoten that where as the place is mooste feble there muste be applied more grete a deffence ◠For atte that syde are the enemyes wont for to sawte moost sore ▪ ¶ Of habyllementes of werre ¶ Capitulo xvj AFter that we haue deuysed in generall of many thinges that be al ynoughe couenable aswell for vytaylles as for deffense that to a garnyson of a fortresse apparteynen ayenst the enemyes ¶ It semeth to us expedyent to shewe now by Iuste estymacyon partyculer what vytaylles shulde be suffycyent to a certeyne felawship of men after the equypolent of euery grete or small garnyson For two hondred men of armes thenne and they re Archers
of many thynges pertynent to hys offyce yet I desyre to here more therof of the fayre loue to this I ansuere the that fayre and well thou haste sayde therof ¶ Yit mayst thou adde therunto other auctorytees that the lawes gyue hym wyth the charges that apparteyne to hym that is to wite to gyue licence to his men of armes for to go where it is nede aswell for they re owne besynesses in tyme couenable as for the fayt of yâ— werre with out whiche licence they owe not to vndretake noo thynge Soo it apperteyneth to hym to comytte them here and there to the proffyte of the werre after hys gode aduyse and the counseille that he hathe and to hym apperteyned to gyue good kepe that fro the countrey noo man of werre departe for to goo som els where without the lordis leue And ought to kepe the keyes of the castelles and of the townes there as be gooynge to the werre hathe lodged him self Item to hym belongeth to comytte and ordeyne them that shall kepe watche in the oost and to take dyligeÌ„tly kepe vpon al the his what mesure of corne and of wyne that the weyght all suche thynges be there Iuste and to punysshe them that falsly vse of the same Item to hym apparteyneth to here vndrestonde the debates questyons of them of the ost to Iuge therof dooyng ryght to euery one be it gentyl man marchaunt or other that to hym doeth complayne vpon ony of hys Suche and many other ben that long were for to saâ—e whiche behouen to a hed captaine But with this for to lerne the bettâ—â— I wil saie the cases after oure lawes wherby the men of werre may renne in to peine capitall the lawe saith that â—e that smyteth the captaine by euyl wille ought to lese yâ— hed like wise he ought to lese hys hed whiche is rebell gainsainge in ordynauÌ„ce of a bataylle It semblably he that fyrst renneth awaye fro the bataille yf the other abide stylle there It he that is sent as for aÌ„baxatoure to the aduersaries or for to aspye them yf he openeth or by eny waye declareth the secretes of his partye It he that excuseth him self by a made vntrewe escusacyon by cause he wol not be atte the bataille with hys lorde Item he that deffendeth not to hys power his captayne yf he see other that assaille hym It who that departeth fro the ost without leue for to make other armees renneth also after the lawe in to peyne capitall what someuere other gode or fayre acte that he make other where It that letteth that peas be not made It that procureth that in the oste be dyscencyon and mortall ryote made Item that steleth or robbeth the prouysyons of the oste ¶ Whether the vasselle is holden after right for to goo in hys lordys werre atte hys owne costes ¶ Capitulo v By cause that it is of costume that euery kynge or prynce or lorde doo sommone or calle his vassell for to be hys aide in faitte of werre I aske if the saide vassell is holden for to goo after the lawes to the callynge of his lorde and yf it be thus that he is bounde for to do so whether it ought to be atte hys owne expenses and costes or atte the costes of the prince or lorde dere loue for to ansuere the bettre to thy demaunde it behoueth to aduise see what thynge conteyneth the othe of fydelyte that he maketh that entreth in feyth of som lande or possessyon moeuable in fee from som lordis lorshyp so ben there thenne six pryncypall couenauÌ„ces after the decret lawe cyuyll The first is that by hys othe he shal neuere pourchasse that day that he lyueth the doÌ„mage of his lorde Nor in noo place he shal be to his knowlege where it is machyned nor purchassed The ij is that he shall neuere dyscouere nor telle his secret of that thynge that to hym might be preiudiciable the iij that he shal be for hym in al manere of cas iuste good and reasonable ayenst all men exposynge bothe his body and hys powere atte hys nede in fayttes of werre well and truely atte al tymes that he shal be requyred The fourth that he shall neuere be consentyng to the domage of hys goodes possessyons nor herytages nor ayenst his we le ¶ The fyfth that yf it happe that his lorde haue to doo of hym of eny thynge that he goodly can doo he shal not excuse hym sayenge that ouere stronge and to dyficyle it is to hym for to doo The vj that he shall not seke noo waye for to excuse hym self for to lette that he shal not goo to hys lorde atte hys commaundement and callynge Suche ben or ought to be after the decretall and cyuyll ryght the promesses by feythe and other made of the vassall to hys lorde By the whiche promysses hyt appyereth ynoughe that the vassalles be holden for to be with theire lorde and for him in hys werres and to serue hym wel and truly with all theire puyssaunce vndre thoblygacyon of lesynge of all they re laÌ„des that they holde of hym as forfayt to the souerayne And as god sayth in the gospell who that is not with me is ayenst me so ought to be reputed to be ayenst they re lorde thoo that faille hym in thys behalffe And therfore they ought to be dyspoynted of the landes that they soo holde but neuerthelesse noo lawe byndeth them not that they atte they re owne costes shulde serue but to the lordes owne propre wages without it were that the lande were bounde so to doo of auncyente As it is of certeyne townes that at they re owne costes and expenses be holden to serue they re prynce durynge certeyn space of tyme of som quantyte of folke in hys werres And good is there the reason why they ought not soo For why nor for what occasyon shulde the lorde take the lences of hys landes vpon the men and many other charges but it were for to maynten hys estate and putte in tresoure for to susteyne with all hys werres yf nede be to hym but not therfore without faylle yf it were so that the lorde had nomore wher with to maynten them and that his demayne suffysed not and had necessyte specyally for to kepe and deffende hys lande hys subgettes of ryght are holden to sette a subsydye vpon them self or ellis to gadre them self togyder tyl a certeyn nombre all appareylled in armes for to helpe hym atte they re owne expenses And in cas that they were not wyllynge so to doo they may be of ryght constraygned therfore specyally yf the enemyes were come vpon his lande to renne vpon hym For after the lawe deffensable werre ys preuyleged moche more than is the werre offensable But trouthe it is that yf a prynce or lorde had nede to take suche ayde he ought to kepe wel that it be not to the vndoynge of
the lawes all clere ynoughe And this to shewe I seke not to shewe hit by noon other reason For I telle you of a trouthe that syth the knyght is to the bataylle for whiche he hadd borowed the said horses and harneys and that he hathe not begyled that other that is to wite he hathe not made hym to vndrestande one thynge for a nother Certeynly he is not bounde to yelde them ayen But and yf he were goon som where ellis ther with all or that he had borowed them for to deceyue hym therof and that he shewed feyntly that he had loste them and that it myght be proued other wyse I shulde saye other wyse Mayster and yf it were so that he had hyred all thees thynges of certeyne marchauntes that is to wyte the harneys of an armurere and the horses of one or of two marchauntes and had lost them as it is sayd shulde not he be bounde to yelde them ayen and to paye the hyre therof I telle the semblably that nay as a boue in cas that noon other expresse couenaunte were made betwyx hym and the marchauntes that what so euere it happeth he shulde yelde the sayde horses and harneis vnto theym ayen ¶ Whether subtyltees and polycyes of armes are goode and Iuste to be doon ¶ Capytulo xiij ANother questyon dyfferent fro the forsayde purpos I wol aske of the Telle me I praye the Is it of a gode reason and after ryght that a kynge or a prynce shal doo so moche by cawtele and subtyl pollycye that he shal subdue and come to hys aboue ouere hys enemye therby be it in bataille or ellis where For it shulde be aduysed that nay coÌ„syderyng that rightfulnes and reason oughte to be kepte it can not be noo ryght there as one deceyueth another and also euery man that hathe a Iuste quarelle ought to haue a gode hope in god that wel it shall fortune with hym therof yf by peyne and dylygence he pursueth Therfore he that hathe a good a ryghtewis quarelle ought to goo as me semeth the ryght waye of werre without to vse of eny wyles Doughter and my dere loue thou sayst full wel but natheles I certyfye the that after the ryght of armes and that more is after god and holy scrypture men ought to vaynquysshe his enemye or may ouercome hym by barat cawtelle and engyne without wronge of armes syth that the werre is Iuged and notyfyed betwyx bothe partyes And that truthe it is that it may be doo oure lorde Ihesu cryste gaffe exsample theâ—of whan he ordeyned and taught to Iosue how by cawtele he shulde surpryse and ouercome hys enemyes And of suche thynges men are woned to vse and commonly ynoughe they helpe themself in tyme of werre but I confesse and telle the well that there ben certeyne maneres of barates whiche ben reproued and forboden aswell in fayttes of armes as in other caas As yf it were that I sholde assure som body for to come to me in a place where as I shulde be for to speke with hym and so muche I shulde doo that vndre myn assuraunce he cometh there where as I shulde doo hym to be taken and slayne Suche a thynge were a ryght euylle treason Or ellis yf by feyned trewes or peas I shulde a spye my tyme for to hurte som other body that kepeth not hym self ther fro and weneth to be sauffe and all suche other maners of wayes wherof I shulde doo euill and grete dyshonoure and repreef shulde come to me therby and grete synne shulde one doo to doo soo And therfore the lawe saythe that syth the fayth is youen to hys ennemye men ought to kepe it to hym But another thynge ther is yf a valyaunt man of armes or a wyse capytayne can well ordeyne busshementes there as hys ennuye muste passe and nought is beware therof or alle suche other maneres of cawteles so that they be not ayenst feyth promysse nor ayenst thassuraunce that men had made And nought is to be sayde the reason that thou sayst syth that men haue a good quarelle wherto I accorde me But how wel that the kynge of Fraunce haue goode ryght ayenst som other kynge yet muste he gyue helpe to susteyne and bere out his gode ryght And thenne whan by wytte and dylygence men doo they re deuoyre they ought to haue hope in god that he shal helpe that the thynge shal be conducted and brought to a gode endynge and perfection ¶ Whether a man of armes that were dystressed and robbed by the waye myght aske by ryght his domages vnto hys lorde ¶ Item yf a lorde sendeth som socours of men of werre to som other lorde in his werre wythout that he be soo requyred for to doo whether the lorde to whom the sayde men of werre be thus sent is holden to paye them of they re wages or not ¶ Item whether men of werre may lawfully take vytalles vpon the countrey or not ¶ Capytulo xiiij MAyster as to oure before sayd purpos me semeth by thys that ye haue concluded a fore that is to wyte yf a knyght or som other man of armes is sent fro som lorde for a garnyson of som fortres wythout that eny couenaunte of wage be made nor noo promesse vnto hym and that it happeth thys knyght or man of armes to be robbed by the waye may he aske by ryght restytucyon of hys losse of the lorde that soo sendeth hym cÌ„ I wyl make another questyon vnto the I suppose that a capytayne of Lombardye or of som other countrey as men som tyme haue doo com in to Fraunce had brought wyth hym a hondred or two hondred good souldyours and that he and hys felawshyp were reteyned in to wages atte a hondred shelyng by the moneth and were sent vnto a certeyn place and in hys gooynge thyder he were assaylled by the waye by the ennemyes where as he had lost hys penoncell hys plates and hys harneys hys pype and hys tabret and hys felawes they re curaces they re pauâ—â—ses and all they re bagage I aske of the yf they myght demaunde of the kynge they re losse and dommage Wythout faylle I ansuere the that nay in caas that noon other couenaunt were there but onely of they re bare wages For the same wythout eny moo was graunted to them and the same they may aske and nomore And yf thou wylt demaunde of me for what reason thys capytayne hath not also grete an actyon for to demaunde of the maystre that sendeth hym as it is sayde here byfore cetera I telle the that that whyche the lawe bereth hathe a gretter fauoure to hym that is not bounde by noo bargayne made and is putte to werk than hyt doeth to hym that is bounde And thys thou mayste see by an exsample of a man that shal haue dwelled with a marchaunt or wyth som other man a yere and a day wythout thys that he be not bounde by
the smallest as what to saye he myght wel take prysoner the fader yf the cas befell why not the childe aswell for he might wel take the faders goodes and the childe as himself saithe is comprised for the faders goodis I telle the certeynly that after right the litel child may nor ought not to be kept prysoner for reason wil not accorde that innocencye be a greued for it is veray trouthe that a childe in suche a cas is innoceÌ„t not coulpable of all werre in al manere of thiÌ„gis wherfore he ought not to bere the peyne of that wherof he is not in fawte nor of counseill nor of goodes he hathe nought holpen therto for he hathe as yet noon Ye maister but supposed that the said child were ryche of hym self as of his fader moders godes that be dede mooste he paye For it might be soo that his tutoures or they that haue the rule ouer his goodis shulde paye a subsydye of hys goodes to the kynge of Englande for to maynten his werre in Fraunce Yet y telle the that nay for what that his tutoures paied therof it were not of the childes wille whiche is not yet in age of discrecion without faille maister theÌ„ne is not this daye this law wel kepte thou saist to me trouthe fayre loue nor yet be nomore kept nother the noble ryghtes of olde tyme that helde and truly dyde kepe the noble conquerours Thus abusen with the right of armes they that now doo excersice them by the grete coueytyse that ouercometh them soo ought to tourne them to a grete shame for to eÌ„prisone wymen or children impotent olde thys custome that they haue brought vp ought to be reproued to theire grete deshonour blame lyke as otherwhile haue doon duringe the warre in the royalme of FrauÌ„ce whiche as longe as fortune was for them they spared nother ladies nor dameselles grete smalle nor lytel whan they toke the fortresses but they were all putte to raunson asmany as were founde there whiche is a grete shame to them for to take that whiche can not reuenge hemself ought wel to haue suffised them for to haue take the saisine of the fortres and that the ladies had goon quytte But that that to them is happed atte the last may al ynoughe ought to be ensample to al other warryours for to deale other wyse for be ye in certeyne that noo good euyl goten can not be longe possessed nor kept of hym that geteth hit nor of his heyres Now late vs see of another debat yf a blynde man happe to be taken of a man of armes ought he to kepe pryson I telle the that yf a blynde man shulde putte hym self to be a man of armes thrughe his folye happeth to be taken he is worthy to haue worse than another this I may proue by the holy scripture where it is spoken howe Caym slewe Abel his brother and how a blynde man that was called Lameth toke a bowe went shotynge by wodes hedges huntynge the wyld bestes and by aduenture his arowe lighte vpon caym and slew hym wherof god saide that the synne of Caym shulde be punysshed seuen tymes But the synne of Lameth shulde be punysshed lxxvj tymes Wherby it appereth that for to putte hym self to an office in whiche he be not suffysant it is a souerayne folye But yf a simple blinde man were taken pyte were due vnto hym and yf he were suche that he before tyme had seen And was a man of armes in the werre and so gaffe counseyll to the enemyes to do bataylle or to stele a place or that aduysed them of som other cawtele that wel knowe hym I aske whether he ought to be kepte in pryson For it shulde seme ye seeyng that theâ—tent of his comyng was for to werre ayenst the kynge there and for to hurte the royalme To this I ansuere the that we fynde in the ryght writon that a madde man duryng his fourour may not be reputed nor taken for enemye for he hathe non arbytre of free wylle where reason cannot werke wherfore theÌ„ne yf he slewe a c men he shulde not be punysshed therfore by iustice nor taken for homycyde suche a man can nother yelde nor gyue feythe to paye eny raunson who shall he thenne be prysoner And to putte in pryson a man that namely is vexed wyth suche a maladie what a valyauÌ„tnes were it certes it were grete synne rather euery noble man shulde peyne him self after hys powere to administre vnto him helthe of witte aduyse Soo telle I to the that he can not nor ought not by ryght to be kepte in pryson nor paye noo raunson but ought to be yolden ageyn to his frendes more yet I telle the We putte caas that he beynge in pryson shulde gwarysshe there of his syknes yet ought he not to be kept nor paie noo manere of rauÌ„son the cause why is bycause that whan he was taken he had nother witte nor powere for to deffeÌ„de hym of the whiche for to Iuge rightewisly of armes noo man ought to be taken prysoner but that he first yeldeth him self by worde of hys owne mouthe or ellis by som signe but how shulde he doo this for as the lawe saithe suche a man can not make noo testament nor mary himself nor entre in to religyon the whiche thinges requyren free wille nor namely he may not receyue batesme yf he were not baptyzed whiche is neuer gyuen vnto man but yf he requyreth hit with his free wille therfore there is noo cause why he shulde be kept prysoner how theÌ„ne maister thou tellest me merueylle som place notable but of suche thynges as he had taken by the waye And namely seynge that they neded to take horses and caryage for to bere them self and they re fadellage as that seknes or other lettynge myght come by the waye or as it may wel be for to brynge certeyn presentes to the kynge they ought to goo bothe them self and they re thynges sauffe But it myght wel be that som coloure of debate may be herof in caas that without veray nede they had brought wyth them som englyshemen for to gyue hem sporte and that horses or other thynges were in the coÌ„panye longyng to them For of suche autoryte they myght brynge in to fraunce the enemyes of the royalme so were it not thenne dyscuted wythout cause For to knowe yet more I beseche the mayster that thou wyl telle me yf Frenshemen myght by ryght take a preste of englande prysoner aswel english men a preest of FrauÌ„ce be it other bysshop or abbot or man of relygyon Fayre loue by that that dyuerse tymes I haue al ynoughe concluded may thy demaunde be soylled that is to wyte that we saye after ryght wryton that thoffyce of men of the chyrche separed from al werre for the seruyse of god in whiche they be occupied
whether euery lorde may gyue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ¶ It begynneth to speke of chaÌ„p de bataylle 〈◊〉 it is a ryghtwis thiÌ„ge of ryght that a man shall proue 〈◊〉 body aienst another that thiÌ„ge that is secrete not knowen â— vi◠¶ Item sheweth for what manere of cas ordeyned 〈…〉 imperyall champ de bataylle ¶ Capio· vâ—â—◠¶ Item for what manere of cas lombardys lawe ordeyned champ de bataylle ¶ Capio· ix ¶ Item how champ de bataylle sheweth representeth som what the dede of a questyon pleetable And whether it is ryght that at thentrynge of the felde the champyons gyue they re othes ¶ Capio· x ¶ Item yf it hap that one of the champyons leseth any of his armes while that he fyghteth wether men ought to yelde hem ayen or not And yf the kynge wolde pardonne hym that is vaynquished whether the vyctoryouse may aske hys costes or not And yf there be founde that a man is accused wrongfully what men ought to doo of hym that hath accused that other ¶ Capio· xj ¶ Item asketh yf a man is punyshed of a misdede proued by champ de bataylle whether the iustice may punyshe hym vpon a new therfor and yf one calleth another to a champ whether he that calleth that other may repente him self of his callynge atte his owne wylle ¶ Capio· xij ¶ It deuyseth to whiche thinge a kynge or a prynce ought to see to bifore that he iugeth eny champ de bataille what counseill men ought to giue to them that shal befight eche other ¶ Capio· xiij ¶ It whether batailles may be doon after right vpon a holy day or not whether the lawe holdeth that men may saue hemself in excercyting thoffyce of armes And whether clerkes may or ought after the lawe go to a bataille C xiiij ¶ Item beginneth to speke of the fayte of blasonnyng of armes whether euery man may take of his owne auctoryte suche armes as he wyl ¶ Capio· xv ¶ Item in what manere a gentylman may chalenge another mannys armes and in what manere not C xvj ¶ It of the armes penoncelles and of the colours moste noble that apparteyne to the fayte of blasonnyng C xvij ¶ Here begynneth the foureth and last part of thys boke ¶ In the first chapytre demauÌ„ded Crystyne yf a lorde sendeth a saufconduyt to another his enemye and that the saufconduyt speketh but of sauf comynge whether after right he may arreste hym atte his gooyng hom ageyne Capio· j AT the begynnyng of thys fourth part of thys boke ryght dere master I wil entre in to another dyffereÌ„t purpos of werre dependyng of that whiche is afore said that is to wite in to a manere of assuryng whiche is giuen to them that goo and come from a contrey to anothâ—r that haue werre to eche other whiche assuring men calle lettres of saufconduyt wherof I wil first make vnto the suche a demaunde I putte cas that a baron haue werre with a knyght of the whiche werre the frendes of bothe partyes reyne hem self for to make a goode peas wherfore the saide baron sendeth hys lettres of saufconduyt to the sayde knyght vndre whiche he may com towardis hym sendeth to hâ—m worde with all that he may com surely the knyght trusting vpon the assuryng of the same lettres cometh to the sayd baron but whan they haue spoken bothe togyder and that the knyght wyl departe the baron doeth arreste hym and sayth and proposeth that he is hys prysoner For he saythe ye be atte werre wyth me as euery man knoweth well wherfor I may take you atte myn aduauntage where someuere I can fynde you that other ansuereth that he may not doo soo For the strengthe of his owne saufconduit deffendeth the same the baron saith that this helpeth him not for bicause that the saufconduit speketh onely of the coming thither not of there tournyng ayen wherfore he doo him noo wronge yf he kepe hym Soo demauÌ„de I of the whether the baron hathe a gode cause For it shulde seme ye seeyng that hit suffiseth emonge enemyes to take heede to the tenoure of the lettre vpon that whiche is wryton sith that the knight hathe be so folyshe that he vndrestode not wel that whiche the sayde barons wrytinge conteyned it is not without reason yf he bere a penaunce therfore For it behoueth in fayttes of werre as thy self hast said here byfore to vse of cawteles for to deceyue eche other late kepe him self that may I telle the fayre loue that thou myssest in thy sayeng in this byhalfe For yf it were as thou saist ouer many Inconuenyentes shulde folowe therof and therfore the lawe hathe purueyed therto that deffendeth expressely that noone shall deceyue by wordes of fallace nor cawtelouse For shuldest thou trowe theÌ„ne that a man shulde be herde atte a Iugement for to saye I haue solde to another an hondred pownde worthe of lande and fayre and well I haue delyuered hit vnto his handes wherof he is holden vnto me in suche a som of money that he moste paye me for semblably of other suche thinges of the whiche as wel I telle the shulde not be reputed nor taken in Iugement but for a trifle or a mocke and the man begiler that wolde vse therof shulde be punyshed therfore And therfore to oure propos what that for to take awaye all scrupulenes a man ought neuer to trust in suche lettres without that it be wel expressed of sauff gooyng and sauffe comyng ayen and also of sauf abydyng of al the other circomstances that bylongen therunto how be it that the lawe wol not that the malyce of the frawdylouse deceyuer take soo straytly the symplenes of hym that gooth thus vpon and vndre the termes of gode feythe ¶ Soo ought to be vndrestande the saufconduyt th entent of hym vnto whome it is yeven By the whiche saufconduyt he holdeth hym self sure aswel for to abyde sauf as for to goo retourne ayen sauf otherwise it were noo saufconduit but it shulde be treason that ouer gretly were to be blamed suche is the certeintee therof NotwistaÌ„ding it may be the som in dede without right nor reason haue vsed or wolde gladly vse therof whiche ought to tourne them in to grete vituperye and blame but euery man hathe not the power for to doo al the euyll that he gladly wolde doo ¶ Yf a knyght or som other gentylman had a saufconduit for his persone for ix men with him whether he myght vndre coloure of the same take wyth him in to the countrey of enemyes som grete lorde in stede of one of the ix men Cij Syth that we be entred in matere of saufconduytes an suere me now of another question A knyght of englond hathe a saufconduyt of the kyng of FrauÌ„ce for hym for ix other with him on horsbacke for to câ—mâ—n to Fraunce for som adoo he hathe there it happeth
that a grete lorde or baron of england desyreth hym that he may be one of the ix his felawes by cause that he wolde fayne goo see FrauÌ„ce to sporte hym there the whiche thinge the knight graunteth to him thus he goeth forth wyth hym whâ—rof it happed whan they be lodged nyghe paris that the sayde lorde or baron is knowen there of a knyght of the kynges of Fraunce whiche well acompanyed cometh scone towardys hym there as he is lodged and telleth hym that he yelde hym that he is his prysoner To the whiche thinge thenglisâ—e knyght that brought the baron with hym ansuereth that he may not doo soo For by vertue of hys saufconduyt he may goo he beyng the tenthe thrughe the royalme of Fraunce of whiche x this baron is one For suche as hym pleased he might take wyth hym ¶ Ansuereth the frenshe knyght and sayth Ye be but a symple knyght soo may ye not brynge wyth you noo gretter man of condycyon than ye be of vndre youre saufconduyt For yf it were soo than myght ye in lykewyse haue brought youre kynge with you or som of his children the whiche thynge is not raysonable and namely hym that ye brynge with you is bettre in value to bringe you with him than ye hym for he is moche more grete than ye be That other saithe I brynge hym not wyth me vndre my saufconduyte But vndre the kynge of Fraunces saufconduyt so aske I and beseke that hyt may be enterâ—ned and kepte to me after the tenoure therof This questyon comen to iugemeÌ„t I aske the whiche of bothe hath the right I saie the frenshman For after the ryght wryton in suche a generalyte ought not to be vndrestande a gretter man than he is hym self For yf a man gyueth a procuracyon to another for to doo execute certeyn thynges of hys owne it is not therfore to be vndrestaÌ„de that he gyueth him a generall procuracyon or that he ought to abuse therof in especyall in fayt of armes neuer suche a thinge shulde right suffre to passe For it myght tourne to preiudice to the personne that gyueth the saueconduyt Now I aske the another thinge I suppose that a chyef captayne of an oste of FrauÌ„ce whiche is sent by the kynge vpon the fronteres saith and affermeth that he hathe the powere for to gyue saufconduyte thrughe all Guyenne Wherfore he doo sende worde to the Seneshall of Bordewx that he wil com vnto a certeyn place vpon the frenshe grouÌ„de by cause that gladly he wolde speke with him for to doo soo he sendeth hym a saufconduit wherupon the sayde seneshal departeth vpon the suretee of the same saufconduyt for to come to the place that is saide betwene hem but it happeth him to be taken of som frenshe men by the waye that putte hym in to pryson I aske the wether the sayde chief captayne is holden to gete him out of prison atte his expenses For it semeth ye seeyng that by his assewraunce he is fallen in to that Incouenyence and domage Fayre loue the contrary is trouthe knowe thou why For it is sayde comonly that without a cause shulde a man be called a fole without that his folye shulde be causer of hys domage And it is clerly certeyn that the seneshal ought not to haue byleued the captayne but yf he wyst for certeyn that the frenshmen wolde kepe his saufconduyt wherfore thenne yf he hathe ben symple and folyshe the hurt and domage must a light and abyde vpon hym for with all this he ought wel to wite that a captayne hathe noo powere to kepe hym sure but fro his owne folke And sithe thenne that other frenshmen that be not of his retenue haue doon vnto hym the same what can the sayde captayne doo therof And also it is noo ryght that one shall gyue a preuylege to one that is gretter than hym self for to come in to the royalme of his souerayne lorde nor namely yf he were bounde to kepe hym sauffe all shulde not auaylle For an oblygacyon made ayenst power is of noo value and all other the whiche be in the ryght of armes ought not to be vnknowen to the seneshall otherwise he were vnworthy and not alle to that effice Soo thenne I conclude for that the captayne had gyuen the saufconduyt for true and goode whiche hathe ben of noo value he is not therfore holden to paye the sayde raunson Neuertheles yf he be a gentylman he is holden to purchasse towardis the kynge his delyuerauÌ„ce with all his powere bicause that thrughe his fawte he is fallen in to suche an inconuenyence ¶ Here saythe xprystyne to the mayster that she hath herself grete merueylle seeyng the litell feyth that regneth how ony body dare truste in saufconduyttes And syn demaundeth that yf it happe that som prynce or crysten kynge gyue a saufconduytte to som sarâ—asyn whether it is so that other kynges ought suffre hym to passe by them vndre vertue of the same Capytulo iij MAyster wythout faylle thys semeth me grete merueylle seeyng the lytel trouthe and fydelyte that this day renneth thrughe al the worlde how a prynce or a lorde or som other gentylman namely what soeuere man yâ— it be dare truste hym self vndre a saufconduyt for to goo in a place where his enemyes be more myghty and more stronge than he ¶ Crystyne yf thou therof haue merueylle it is not without a cause how well that a saufconduyt after thauncyent constytucyon of the ryght of armes also of al lawe oughte for to be after hys nature a sure thynge betwyx partyes and mortall enemyes whiche we call capytall enemyes in oure lawes the whyche lettres of surete the good and valyaunt conqueroures that were in tyme past shulde not haue broken ne enfrayned for to dey But nowe in tyme present for the barates subtylnes and deceyptes that be founde by whiche men haue noo shame for to make a lye brekynge they re feyth and they re othe amonge crysten folke moche more than ony Iewes· nor paynemys wolde doo wherfore it is counseylled by som of oure maysters that men shal not truste of light in saufconduytes where as the tyme is now come that where the lawes doo calle frawde and barat it is now called subtyltee and cawtele wherof foloweth oftymes grete parell For in dede yf a man of what astate or condycyon that he be of wyl do som treason to som other body whan that he hathe the personne in a place where he fyndeth hym self the more stronge he shal fynde a noone al ynoughe wherof to coloure a cause to stryue wyth hym wherfore he shal slee hym or poyson hym he wyl or perhappes shal brenne his hous or shall robbe hym or otherwyse shall hurt hym vndre coulourable deceypte And whan thys is so doon there nys noo ryght that can com tyme ynoughe for to recoÌ„pense hym therof by cause it is doon vndre false coulour for
vpon good coursers whyche ben full redy on the syde for to com and breke wythe courses of horses thordynaunce of the enemyes as they shal be renged and assembled togyder ¶ And therfore the bataylle is often tyme wonne by them that best can shyfte and deale wythall ¶ And where thys manere of rengyng of an oost is moost couenable yet som that ben experte in armes doo counseylle that whan men haue noo grete quantyte of comons but haue for the moo parte all men of armes that all the holl assemble be putte togyder onely in one bataylle wythout noon other forwarde nor arryeregarde but onely the wynges of the fronte of the bataylle as it is sayd a fore and sayen that more surely they fyght soo ¶ And thys manere was kept at the bataylle of rosebeke where as the kynge of Fraunce Charles the sixth of that name had the vyctorye ayenst xl thousend Flemyngys and semblably it was doon but awhyle a goon at the bataylle of Lyege where as Iohan duc of bourgoyne that son was to phylyppe the son of the kynge of Fraunce with a smalle quantyte of his men was vyctoryous ayenst xxxvj thousand Lygeoys ¶ Deuyseth yet the manere of rengynge of bataylles ¶ Capitulo xxiiij Howe be it that it is sayd here by fore and after of the maners of fyghtynge and of rengynge of an oost sayen thauncyent that of thys matyere haue spoken that the best manyere to gyue a bataylle is in roundnes and that men putte many bataylles in the fore fronte and at that syde that they knowe they re enemyes shall come they shal kepe hem self by gode ordynaunce wel nyghe clos togyder and wyth peyne shal they mowe be ouercome nor desconfyted thoughe that they re enemyes be moo than they â— And yf it fall so that the aduersaryes be of lesse folke the bataylle ought to be then ordred and made in manere of a hors shoo and thus saythe he thou shalt stoppe hem aboute yf thou goo to hyt wysely And yf the other be foyson of folke ordeyne ye the bataylle as wyth a sharp ende before for to perse forth But late the capytayne be wel aduysed sayth vegece that at that same owre that the bataylle shall assemble he chaunge not thys manere of ordre nor lede not bere nor there noo nombre of peple on t of they re ordynaunce For that were for to destroye all and shold putte trouble in hys bataylles Nor nothyng profyteth more in a bataylle saith he than to kepe the ordre that ought there to be kepte wyth the interualle or dystance that ought for to be betwix euery rowe For men ought to see by grete cure that they ouerpresse not eche other and that they also large not nother the one from that other but shal kepe themself in couenable ordre togider For they that were to nyghe eche other shuld lese they re strokys and they re fyghtyng for lacke of more rowme and space that one shuld so lette that other Also they that were ouer large ordred shuld gyue to they re ennemyes an entree thrughe theym self And so were they in parell to be broken and sparpeylled a brode Wherof the fere that they shuld haue to see they re ennemyes so comen wythyn them shuld yelde hem as dysperate and loste ¶ Yet sayth vegece that by fayre ordre ought to make an yssue in to the felde where as the capytayne by dyuerse tymes shal haue putte hem in ordynaunce for to shew vnto theyme how that they ought to maynten and be haue hem self when the bataylle shal come in hande the fyrst bataylle so ordred as it ought for to be and the seconde bataylle after and the other so that the ordynaunce be in euery poynt kepte as it is sayd by fore And som capytayne sayth he hath had a manyere to tourne they re bataylle in a square and syn in a manere of a tryangle that men called at that bersuell ¶ And thys manere of ordynaunce hath proffyted muche in bataylle And whan eny grete strengthe of ennemyes dyde comme vpon hem they putte hem self in a rounde and the best to the formest rowe and so kepte theyrs that they tourned not for to flee and that they were not ouer charged wyth to grete a dommayge ¶ And a manyere had the auncyent that they putte neuer al they re folke in one assemblee but made many bataylles to th ende they that were fresshe shuld comme for to socoure helpe theym that were wery And bythys waye with peyne they myght be dysconfyted all for that whiche one bataille loste that other bataille recoured hyt ayen ¶ Neuertheles al dedes of bataylle ben doon at alaventure wherfore noon ought to trust therto in hope to haue the bettre of hyt by cause that often tymes it falleth al contrary to that whiche men thought a fore ¶ Example herof For who shuld euer haue trowed that that of the â—yght grete oostes and grete assemblees of men of the Cartagyens and of the rommayns that werred eche other shulde the slawghter and occysyon be soo equall in a bataylle that ones be felle bytwene hem ¶ For there abode not one man a lyve of neythre of bothe partyes ¶ Item he sayth that that day that the bataylle must be It is couenable for men for to ete lytyl to th ende they haue a longer breth and that they may be the more lyght and more moeuable But som goode wyne ought men to drynke who that may by cause that the wyne moevyth the spyrytes and the strengthes of man so that it be mesurably taken ¶ And it happeth of tymes sayth he that almost all the corages of men are troubled in hem self whan they shal goo to the bataylle but to theym that be fyrst chaffed and angry is the force and hardynes encreced wythyn hem and doo forgete al parell ¶ And therfore the wyse capytayne for to gyue a cause vnto hyemen to be more fyers and hardy ought for to haue had them fyrst at a scarmysshe ayenst the aduersaryes to th ende that for the strokys and sorys that they haue receyued of them they may be in anger and chaffed vpon them ¶ And yet he sayth that the lasse wyse and the lasse bolde are wont for to gyue vp the escrâ—e by fore that the bataylle be bygonne Whyche thyng ought not for to be doo ¶ But the callyng and the scry ought to be wyth the fyrst strookys ¶ The auncyent had a respecte in thassemblyng of they re bataylles that the men of armes were not made a ferde in bataylle by the scrye and alarme that the landysshe peple or comons maken som tyme ¶ And therfore they instructed and aduysed them therof by certeyn sowne of a trompette ¶ Also thoo that be not excersyced in armes nor lerned Redoubten sore the bataylle And therfore the boke sayth that suche men ought to be occupyed in other thynges than in fayttys of werre ¶ For
while that she endureth and that the enemies ben assaylled and not to be ouer ioyfull nor so proude for soÌ„ what of victorye that is had at the begynnynge that men leue all wenyng to recouere hit of lyght agayne as many haue founde them self deceyued therby that neuer syn conde happe to haue hyt for a wittenes wherof may be taken hanibal the whiche yf he had goon after the bataylle of Cannes streyght to rome he had taken hit withoute gaynsayng of ony man For the romayns were so affrayed and so full of sorowe for they re grete losse that to gaynsaye at that owre they durst not but he that wende to retourne there at hys pleasure when it shold please hym and that wayted but onely to dyspoylle the countre a boute from al manere of ryches cowde neuer syth com therto how wel that he forced hym self wyth al hys powere so to doo ¶ Here sheweth another manere of waye that the chyef capytayne ought to kepe when that the fortune of the bataylle is ayenst hym ¶ Capitulo xxvijo· NOw is there another poynte that is to wyte yf one parte of the oost ouercometh and that other parte fleeth that parte that kepeth abydeth stedfastly may truste to haue the vyctory For dyuers tymys it hathe be knowen that they that men helde vndre haue goten the felde at the laste Therfore ought suche peplÌ„e to reyse hemself by callynge of mouthes by sowne of trompettes wherby they may moeue brynge the enemyes in to affere in comfortyng of hemself as thoughe they were vyctoryouse in euery parte of they re oste And yf it happeth that the myscheffe be thrughe al thyn oste neuerthelesse thou ought to seke a remedy theruÌ„to for fortune somtyme hath recouered to they re aboue many one that fled awaye And the wise men of armes sayen that in fayttes of a playne bataylle the capytayne ought to be purueyed and aduysed how he shal gadre agayne to gyder his folke as the goode pastour doeth his shepe for how be it that they al begiÌ„ne to flee renne awaye he ought to be awaytyng with al his power for to saue theym that be so ouer come to withdrawe hem about hym in to som cornere of a waye or vpon a hille yf eny be nyhe hym or in to som other sure place yf he may thus gadre togider ayen som quaÌ„tyte of valyaunt men in good ordynaunce of array they shal mowe greue full fore theyr enemyes for comonly it falleth that they that pursyeue the chasse folysshly that be out of ordynaunce here there ben soone putte to flyght yf they re aduersaryes werke wisely And thus are slayn they that chassed fyrst and noo gretter confusyon may come a monge hem thenne whan they re pryde fyersnes is so chaunged tourned in to a drede And therfore what someuere adueÌ„ture that falleth men ought to recomforte and redresse by couenable exortacyons theym that ouercome to brynge hem togider ayen and to garnysshe the rowmes ayen with new men harnoys yf men can And a souldayne helpe behâ—â—â—th theÌ„ne to be thoughte vpon the soudbdayne aduenture that come That is to see how a watche shal be so sette that the ennemyes that haue folowed theym may be recontred in som place And thus by the good capytayne shal the fere of them that reÌ„ne awaye be tourned in to boldnes for to wythstande pursiewe yf nede be Wherfore the good capytayne ought neuere to dyspeyre hym self of what soeuere a fortune that cometh to hym yf he be wyse For oftymes it falleth that thurghe a good hope of propyce fortune they that trowe to haue wonnen all arreyse hem self in to arrogaunce Wherby not so wisely as they shold doo they sette vpon they re enemyes the whyche that be wel aduysed receyue them wyth grete courage and beteth hem And by this ought the goode capytayne to see vpon all suche falles that mowe happen â— by cause it hath happed ful often as it is sayd that they that were ouer come and chassed had soone after the vyctorye vpon theyr enemyes And to knowe that it is soo the fall of the rommayns sheweth hyt al ynoughe whenne they were dyscomfyted at the bataylle of Cannes whereby they at as dysperate that they shulde neuer more be of power to recouere eny good hap or propyce fortune wolde for sake they re owne cyte and chese in to some other partyes they re place of habytacyon But one of they re prynces that ryght wise was valyauÌ„t kepte hem here fro sayeng that he shuld fyght ayenst hem yf cas were that they went And thus he putte hem in hope of a bettre fortune and assembled theym ayen al togider And of gadred folke he made many knyghtes and with suche a power as he myght haue he went and assaylled hanybal that neuere had thoughte that he shulde haue doon soo and thus toke hym vnpurueyed was at that owre so entyerly dyscomfyted that he neuere syth cowde haue vyctorye vpon the rommayns ¶ Here foloweth a short recapytulacyon of som thinges that ben sayd a fore ¶ Capitulo xxix TO recapytule shortly almost all the substance of that whiche vegece wyl saye in hys boke where as by epylogacyon in manere of prouerbys at the ende of hyt he sayth thus Thou that wyl haue worshyp in armes doo that the lore of yougthe lerneth the to be a maystre of the tournes fayctes of knyghthode in thy parfyt age For a more fayre thing it is to say I can thys that that to saye ha a why haue I not lerned doo euere after thy powere all that may lette thyn enemye and that may be profytable for the For from that tyme that thou ceasse to greue hym thou hurtest lettest thy self doo soo that thou knowe the knyghtes or euere thou lede hem to the felde For moche bettre it is to doubte hys enemye kepyng hym self vpon hys warde surely than to trust vpon folke that men knowe not in a felde and a grete surete it is for to calle hys enemyes that be ronne away who that may for they may hurte more sore the aduersaryes than they that be slayne And the capytayne with peine is ouercome that with the hys and with his aduersary may help hym self And bettre it is to kepe a syde al ynoughe and ayde besyde the bataylle y renged than to make an ouer bygge bataylle hauyng noo socoure be syde it for they that be wery may be holpen by them that comen freshly vpon to socoure theym and more helpeth vertue than multytude And often is a rowme bettre than hys strength in a felde A man proffyteth by laboure and by ydlenes he wasteth Late noo knyght be had nor lÌ„ed to a bataylle but that hystrust be to haue the vyctorye for yf he mystrusteth in his courage he is as half ouercome And the thynges that sodaynly be doon fere full sore the ennemyes Who that foloweth